IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 11 = ui M ^ US, 12.0 2.2 — 6" S.8 U IIIIII.6 m > 'C^ O^^^ w ^ J/ ^^ /!Si Photographic Scieaices Corooration 'O^ '^y/"^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET W£BSTIbR,N.Y. 145B0 (716) 872-4503 \ ' .* A*^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microrsproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquas at bikliographiquaa Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tho bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographicaily uniqua, which msy altar any of tha imagas in tha raprodUwtion, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 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Tous les autres exemplaires origlnaux sont fllmte en commen^ant par la premiere pege qui compoite une empreinte d'impreesion ou d'illustratlon et en terminant par la derniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un de« symbolee sulvants apparaTtra sur la dirnlAre image de cheque microfiche, seion Ie cas: Ie symbols -^ signlfie "A SUIVRE", Ie symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre f!ilm4e A dee taux de rMuction diff«rents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich«, il est fiim« t partir de I'angle sup4rleur gauche, de gauche k droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant Ie nombre d'images nteessalre. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 /s \ - •\, N CLAIMS n OF THE CHURCHHEN & DISSENTERJS OS i;PPBR CANADA BROUGHT TO THE TEST; nr A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN SEVERAL MEMBERS OFTHS CHURCH OF ENGLAND ASV A METHODIST PREACHER. KINGSTON, tr.C- PRINTED AT THE HERAU) OiTFICB. &8S8. ' \ *»:'1 M l\\p,c 50, line 10, from 'he top, ior " countenance" read discountenance — pagt; 83, line 2 from the botL-ri), for " exported" rend extortsd~inf:Q 94, line G from the bottom, for " use" read risc—p::^v 99, line 2 fr( m the top, for "milkers" read 7?mr/i-s— pa^e 101, line i4 troni flie bottom, for 'unshaken" read M?i.s//f/c/t7erf—pap;c 103, line 7 from bottom, for "bounds" rc.id iojic/s— page 109, line 15 from top, before " the" iiist-rl //ge 149, lino 8 from bottom, for "2Cth" rend 5//i— page 153, line 10 from bottom, for "Sect" read Lrct.—s:Mmo page, line 3 from bottom, belorc " office" without — page 197, line 7 from top, leave out the following words— "but also a rank or degree in the Church."— page 200, line 11 from top, for "cannot" read canoji— page 202, line 18 from top, for " men" read mere -page 204 first line, for " latter" read St. Jb/m— page 207, line 8 from ;)nttom. fnr "by" read io^'i— page 211, line 5 from top, after "first" in- •ertjn.sttL'H— page 215, line 4 from bottom, for "from" read u''m7i— page 217, lin. 10 from top, for " which" read in— page 219, line 9 from top, for "qr.otation" rend (question — same page, last line, for "in" read ts page 222, line 2 from top, for " sin" read Sir— same page, line 15 from ( op, reject "ZZ/r/'^s" s.-.me page, line 18 from top, after "such" insert Zi«7;fc— page 220, line 8 from the bottom, reject "the" last page, last fine, for " Jjivc" read !:^ivc. ^ N. 15. Several errors of minor imporJanc n are not noticed in the nbovo Erra(a--particulavly those in the Kcntcncps quoted from Latin Authors. r \ r ADVERTISEMENT. IT will be recollected that the various articles contained in the follow- ing pages, with the exception of an extract of Dr.Strachan'a Sermon, preached on the death of the late Bishop of Quebec— originally appear- ed in the Newspapers; and the compiler, not feeling himself at liberty to make any alterations whatever in their phraseology, lest he shonM in- cur blame, presents these articles again to the public eiiutnjj;re}2;iili()ns vv<'ie to be foimd within the >vli(»U', (lioteso ; ^vhiMc now, iijivvKnlH oriifly are* e^lab- lisiaMl. In so h)rii;; a period, thin may appear a small in- crease ; bnt ii;reatan(I many weiethe obstacles which tha Churcii liad to enronntei', some of whirli rouhl only be removed by time, and over <»theis, the Itishop had nocoii- ti'oul. In as Tai' as (lepended upon his exertions, no la- bour was spared in promoting:; those measures, whieh he judj:;ed most likely to extend the Ecclesiastical establish- ment, and after many years of disappointment and delay/ lie had the happiness to behold, bef(»re his departure, a fair foundation laid for the tiiffusion of (Mnistianity, throui:;h the whole diocese. In this a2;e of affeced liiieral- ity and abhorrence of restraint our venerable Church has peculiar dilViculties to surm;>unt, in establishing herself in a new country like this, which those societies, that adopt no form of Church {government under the pretext that iovms are not sanctioned by the primitive times, never can experience. l?ut in proportion to the difficulties, w hich she has to overcome at her commencement, is ihe perman- ence of her establishment, and certainty of her extensi(m, for while the members of other denominalions connected by no bond of union, no common principles of order, and no subordination, are soon scattered, or divided, our Church proceeds, with all the advantages, which union, discipline, and order can produce. Her governrrent justy claims a divine origin, sanctio!»ed by the authority, and practice of the aposlles, which is the law of Christ The vigilance of the !5ishops, animated by zeal, and tempered with discretion, produces the greatest benefits. TIjc in- ferior clergy feel the respcmsibility of their situation, and learn from experience that they are placed under a real and not a nominal inspection, and that they are acting un- der a watchful shepherd, whose voice will rouse them, if slothful, or punish them if negligent. The form of prayer, which we arc bound to use, unites all the congregations of our Church in the principal part of their worship, as if they were only one congregation and assembled in the s same teinple,ana it presents to them witl, great force, siui^ Xity ajd beauty, the ways, means and appointments of God to restore iui fallen nature to purity, and everlast- ins life. W ithont a liturgy, or regular form of prayer, no church can continue long ; for wheii the spmtis gone, there is nothing left, but a scriptural liturgy, says an amia- ble divine, will save a Church in the worst of times, and preserve the spark of religion, when the flame is extin- euished. With a pure Government,and a still purer form of nrayer, there is in our Cliurch no discordance m doc- trine, precept, or discipline; we all acknowledge one foody, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one bap- tism, and one God ; consequently the people, whom we address, are not bewildered with a variety of opinions ; all is simple, beautiful, and clear, nor are they even left to learn ti om their teachers, the proper forms of worship. But when they are able to read that Liturgy, which has now remained for so many ages unaffected by the weak- ness, the corruption, the false opi Jons, or evil motives of men, it becomes the source of the liveliest devotion ; their prejudices are removed, their minds enlightened, and their hearts opened to the reception of the truth, feuch is the Church, whose standard our late Bishop was sent to un furl in the fate of this new world— white and spotless as her faith. Biich she has been for many centuries, and such his Lordship presented her to the inhabitants of these Provinces, " in her true majestic comeliness — her primi- tive attire— her modest dignity— her sober pomp, such as she was seen, by those who proclaiined her in the midst of the flames, loved her through imprisonment and torture, and placed the Bible in her hands, as the charter of her ccnstitiition, and thet?ophy of her triumphant sufferings/' On arriving in big Diocese, the Bishop found many things combining to blight the prospects of the rising Church. The majority of the inhabitrints of Lower Can- ada, where his Lordship determir;?d to reside, belonged to the lioman Catholic persuasion and looked upon as the head of a rival Ecclcsiasiical esiablishnient. 'Fhe Pro- testant disseuiiers, w ho composed a considerable nuiubei T rro- T 9 of the remaindeT, envied and opposed him, because the Church over which he presided, was the relii>;ion of the state, and was therefore more immediately under its pro- tection. To soften the asperity of the opposition of these two classes and the undisguised hatred of inferior sects, and to shew them the real excellence of the Clmrch of England, happily placed in the true medium between ex- travagant and dangerous extremes, could only be the work of time. His [iordship had also the mortification to find that many of the Protestant inhabitants, imbibing the levelling opinions of the times, declaimed against the appointment of a Bishop and against all religious esta- blishments, as inconsistent with the spirit of true religion and the peace of society. Had not Christianity been re- vealed, then had mankind been left to follow their own imaginations, as they did before the coming of Christ, but as the Supreme Being has been pleased to communicate his will, it is the duty of every Christian Government, to support such a religious establishment, as may best secure the benefits of this revelation to all their subjects. Now, as this divine revelation is intended to promote among all men true morality and purity of life, to become the mother of good works, our cordial in affliction, and our comfort in death, to bring us daily into the presence of God and cur Saviour that we may believe in his holy name, love him witii all our hearts, and by making him the object of our imitation and the foundation of our faith, resemble him on earth, and follow him to heaven ; an establishment which produces these excellent efl'ects ought to be cherish- ed by every good Government, in its own defence, as the suardian anil nourisher of the purest social, and domes- tic virtues. Indeed the very appointment of Parochial instructors of the people, in the duties of morality and the doctrines oi revelation, is so eminently wise and benefi- cial, that it may not only be adrluced as a collateral evi- dence of the Divine origin of Christianity, but of the ne- cessity of a public establishment, to render it truly effica- ^:„.,^ A^f.«r.iipcrlv fhp mn«f ptninpnt friends of the Gos- pel have considered an Ecclesiastical establishment, so 10 necessary to the moral and religious improvement of the people, and so essential to give permanent effect to the most pure and sublime principles that can direct the uu- ders anding, and influence the iieart, that they have declar- ed a regular Clergy, and those authorities which appoint and superintend them, important branches of the Church of Christ. Experience has justified this declaration. The religious establishments of England and Scotland have, under the Divine blessing, been the great promoters of all that is great and good, in those hajipy Countries. The mass of the population are taught their duty to God and man— to attend to a law, not to be obtained in books, nor to be engraven on tablets of brass — r. law which always subsists, which is every moment forcing itself into notice, and which condemns every species of wrong. Hence the British nation is the most intellectual, and moral in Eu- rope — The world's centre of arts, commerce and civiliza- tion. Here the light of freedom burns with the brightest radiance, and the rights and liberties of man are the best understood and miist abundantly enjoyed ; and here a lofty sense of independence is of universal growth. From this nation, the cherisher and supporter of religious esta- blishments, have come almost all the lights that exalt modern times. She takes the lead in those mighty efforts, which are changing the face of the world. To the able administration of her excellent laws, and the wisdom of her political institutions, all nations turn their eyes not only to admire, but to imitate. She stands aloft like the sun in the Heavens, dispensing her charities wherever distress is to be found, w ithout regard to difference of language, climate, or complexion. Not satisfied with shewing the way, she compels by entreaties and dona- tions, other nations to pursue her virtuous course. It is to religion that she owes her pre-eminence — it is this that throws a holy splendour round her head, makes »ier the hope of every land, and urges lier to achieve the evangel- Never without a religious establish- u soarcii su uij^ii jvijuvc uuici udinjiio — t is this that difluses through her whole population, the ization of mankind, ment Si 11 most sublime and disinterested principles, which, resil- ing the sentiments and elevating the aifections, enable them to subdue selfish passions and appetites, and to pant after the felicity of doing good. Indeed a Christian na- tion without a religious establishment is a contradiction, and notwithstanding the praiseworthy exertions of a few denominations in the neighbouring States, more especi- ally the Episcopal Church, Christianity except in a few lai'^-e towns is found to languish, and seldom in the cou^itry pervades the mass of the people. Let the candid opponents of Ecclesiastical establishments, if any such there be, compare the people who have no standing mini- stry, not mtM-ely in towns, where a spark of Christianity may exist, but through the country, with a people pos- ses'sing this inestimalile advantage, and they will acknow- led^-e that no country can be called Christian, which does not give public support to Christanity, and that no other Religion but that of Jesus could Lave suggested an idea so grand and affecting as that of placing a public Teacher of Righteousness in every small Society through- out the world. On his first visitation the Bishop found things very dif- ferent from what he had anticipated. Nothing which he had seen could enable him to form any conception what- ever of the nature of tiie country in which he was to con- stitute a Religious establishment. But being endowed with great talents, and a happy faculty for observation, he returned to Quebec with a mass of the most useful infor- mation, by w liich he became acquainted with the stute of his vast Diocese, its wants and prospects. In coming to this Province every thing, to a person only acquainted with England, was entirely new. In Lower Canada si^me associations might be found, but the Western part of the Diocese, in regard to Religion and education pre- sented a dreary waste. The people were scattered over a vast surface, Jind had the means been furnished of build- ing Churches, and Schools, which ought always to go to- gother. there was little or no chance of their being suppor- ted. Nor didthit^ arise so much from any disinclination is on the part of the people, to have the benefits of Reli^iou and Education, as from their inability to support Clerey- luen and Teachers, an inability which grew out of their peculiar situation, and the nature of the climate. In new Settlements families live of necessity far apart — they are for some years so wretchedly poor that they cannot dis- pense with the services of their Children, who are able to work ; and if a Church is erected the families are for a long time too remote, and the roads too bad to attend- hence the motives for building Churches are enfeebled, and many are discouraged from making any strenuous eflFbrts to provide accomodations so necessary to civilized life. The Bishop found it difficult to overcome these dis- couragements — the offer of assistance might raise for a moment a lambent flame, but it soon disappeared. The people would speak of their inclination, but the scite of the Church was too distant— how could they with their fami- lies go through roads almost impassable, and over brooks without bridges. It was easy to see that the taste of many had become vitiated, and that they were disposed to exaggerate difficulties, and to calculate the benefit rather with a tendency to refuse than to assist. Settlers in a wilderness are often found greatly changed in a few years— at first they lament their distance from Churches and Schools, but by degrees such lamentations die away, a? well as the generous and noble dispositions from which they emanated — and when the accommodations for pub- lic worship are provided, bad weather, bad roads, or any other trifling cause, prevents any thing like a regulor at- tendance. Living without restraint, and without the eye of those whom they respect, a sense of decency and Re- ligion frequently disappears. Here the disinclination to holy things presents itself in all its deformity, a distaste for divine worship, and neglect of every thing sacred, and a total estrangement from God, and although from their situation, crimes against Society are few, the heart be- comes entirely dead to true piety and virtue. Were it not for the mothers, nothing engaging or amiable would lemaiu m many of the back settlements ^ but they, lamen< in- V m} W^ Iv- ^^^^^^^ B 1 13 4ing their separation from civilized society, are still tmxU ous to cherish aud inculcate some of the principles of social life. In the scattered settlements of this Diocese, Schools and Churches are of necessity for many years few in num- ber, and multitudes of both sexes are growing up in great ignorance. In regard to Education, something has been done by the Provincial Legislature ; but to build Church- es, and to place I'lergymenis a work of greater difficulty. Even when Churches are erected, the persons who give regular attendance are so few as greatly to discourage the Minister, and his influence is frequently broken or injured by numbers of uneducated itinerant Preachers, who, lea- ving their steady employment, betake themselves to preach- ing the Gospel from idleness, or a zeal without knowledge, by which they are induced without any preparation, to teach what they do not know, and which, from their pride, they disdain to learn. Under such circumstances^ the Minister placed in the first Church, or Settlement where in all probability he will have several Churches to attend, has many difficulties to encounter— his people live scattered on their farms, cut off from that daily intercourse, which softens and polishes the manners. Confined to family circles, their ideas become selfish and contracted^ and tiiey are little disposed to trouble themselves about any other thing than what contributes immediately to their own comfort. Among such a population, social inter- course is very rare, and they seldom meet unless to bar- gain and traffic. Consequently the social affections sleep or expire — their deportment becomes rough and forbid- ding — at one time, forward and impudent, at another time awkward & sheepish. From all which, the first Clergy- man finds himself not only engaged to preach the gospel, but also to preach civdizatien. Such was the picture, which the Diocese presented ^o the Lord Bishop on his first vi- sitation, and though no\ in many places much changed such is still the picture of some of the remote settlements, and must continue to be so till the whole country is filled with lahabitiiQts, Xu uu diiu^iiuu k the iuHueuce of the 14 i i icmale sex so engagini;ly seen as in the distant settle- ments — to their exertions are, we to attrihute all the soft- ness that remains. Tlie Bible, the Prater book, the sense of a God, and his Providence, are by them preser- ved and introduced to the notice of their children, and often of their husbands. In tlie more populous parts of the Diocese, the Bishop saw with concern the prevalence of opinions wliich, under the name of liberality, disrej^arded that uniformity of plan on which the Church of Christ was founded, and which proceeding from laxity of principle to doubt, commonly ends in profligate indifference. But notwithstanding the gloomy prospect which the Diocese presented to his Lord- ship's anxious mind, he perceived some grounds of hope. He assured himself that a Church which resorted to the mild patriarchial and primitive discipline, of wliich the Apostles were the first founders, and their Churches the brightest examples, could not fail of eminent success, and that the manner of propagating the Gospel in the first days of its glory, must be the most judicious manner of propa- gating it now ; and that if no general change of opinion could reasonably be expected among the old, yet many would embrace her ministrations if placed within their reach. There are indeed times w hen the consolations of Keligion are requirec^ by all Men — moments of deep af- fliction, of heart-breaking bereavments, when the weeping spirit bows to the voice of God, and at such moments, a discreet Clergyman may by his sympathy and kindness win many over to the Church. Much of the indilTerence to religion, which he found among the people was rather to be attributed to their destitute situation than to any disin- clination, and there seemed to be good reason for believing that in almost every populous portion of this division of the Diocese, a judicious Clergymen might, in time, collect a respectable congrea;ation. This conclusion His Lord- ship was the more readily induced to admit, on reflecting iMi the numerous emigrants resorting to the Canadas, many of whom were previously members of the Church, and the daily accession of those youth, whO; by a wise distribution / * 4 15 of Tracts anil Prayer Books, had been early prejudiced ia favour (if the establishment. In this way tlie progress of the (Muirch might indeed be slow and was not to be mea- sured by days months or even by years, but although from bis experience of the ditficulties to be overcome, bis lord- ship eutertnined far less sanguine hopes than before he had taken possession of his IJiocese, he found no reason to des- pair, but felt that a gradual advancement would take place, till a paramount inlluence was obtainad, if his own exer- tions were (inly seconded by a respectal)le, and increasing Clergy. On this, every thing depended — all other obsta- cles might be softrned, removed or overcome. But how was lie to procure such a clergy? This was a difficulty which the good Bishoj) iiad not perhaps foreseen in its full extent, though it was by far tlie greatest which he had to encounter, and. the sole cause of the little progress which the Church has yet made in the Canadas. It was quite natural for the Bishop to believe before he left England, that the provision made for the support of a Protestant Clergy, included a full communication of all the benefits of the religious cstal)!ishment of the Parent State, and al- though it might not be equal for sometime to the wants and neces'^ities of the infant Diocese, that yet it would be- come so at no distil nt |)erio(!. In this expectation, if it was even entertained, he so(m found tluit it would be unwisa to trust. 'I'he pietv of the late King had gone far beyond the spirii of the I.eglslature, which was not prepared to se- cond a poiiry so judicious and beneficial, by voting tempo- rnrv aid till the llaval munificence become available. — TliP times were iunuspicious to any application to the Im- perial Parliament. Eiigaged in a terrible war, which re- quired every exertion U> bring it to a successful termination, 110 minister would have presumed to move for pecuniary assistance, to support and extend the Church in Canada; forMie progress of Ciiristijiu feeling, which now shines so brigiitly, liad not then manifested itself, nor indeed, did it seem to have, at that time, any existence in the British Legislature. For in the very year of the Bishop^'s ap- poiutmcut to ({uebec; it was v/ith the utmost difliculty that iO Mr. Wilberforce, that ornament of Iiumaii nature, could on the renewal of the character of the East India Company^ obtained the frigid assent of the House of Commons to thb moderate resolution, that it was the duty of the Legisla- ture, to promote the interesi and happiness of British In- dia, and that such measures ought therefore to be adopted^ as might gradually lead to their advancement in useful knowledge, and to their moral and religious improvement. This feeble proposition was assented to with a chilling coldness, and produced no effect, — the nation expressing no feeling on the occasion, but beholding the decision with apathy and indifference. To the Local Governments His Lordship could look for no assistance. The Legislature of Lower Canada, con- sisting chiefly of Roman Catholics, could hardly be ex- pected to support a church which they were taught to con- sider heretical, and in XTpper Canada the scanty means at the disposal of the Government, precluded all hope. To a feeling mind, ardent in the cause of his Divine Master, this disappointment in augmenting the number of liis Clergy, commensurate with the wants of his people, must have been severely felt ; and the gloomy prospect be- fore him, of remaining for many years without the means of extending in any considerable degree the benefits of re- ligious instruction, must have been exceedingly distressing. In this destitute condition the Bishop's confidence did not give way, but he exerted himself with redoubled energy to cherish the infant Church committed to his care, and in the absence of assistance from every other quarter, strenuous- ly urged the venerable Society for the propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts, to increase the number of their missions. His Lordship's application to this distinguish- ed institution, which, in the true spirit of Christian humi- lity, has done so much for the cause of religion, was not made in vain, hut unhappily their means were limited^ and far from being in a condition to supply the number of Clergy, which appeared to his l^ordship absolutely neces- sary. And here an unexpected difficulty stood in the way of procuring the few that the Society had detuf iniucd to T i T 1 support. For wben they had assented to the Bishop's prayer, in as far as they were able, Clergymen of enlight- ened piety could not be found willing to leave England for Canada. This country was still so little known, and tha character of its climate so frightful, that it was considered worse t'.ian Siberia ; and therefore, gentlemen of education and zeal, refused to forsake their homes and the endear- ing ^associations of early years, to come to so distant, and inhospitable a Colony. Eager tc remove this unexpected obstacle, the Bishop listened to the suggestions of one of his Clergy, stating that young men might be educated for the Church within the Diocese, and the Society willing to second his Lordship's exertions, granted assistance to a certain number of persons during their studies. The re- sult has been very satisfactory, for in many respects the na- tive Clergyman has the advantages over his brother from England. He is much better acquainted with the habits and manners of the people — knowing their peculiar preju- dices, he can, with more tenderness remove them, and he can address liiraself to their affections with greater effect. There is moreover a pleasing association of ideas, in the minds of the people, when they see one of their own chil- dren raised to the office of a Clergyman, and offering them the words of eternal life, which induce them to give more heed to his admonitions, and thus afford him greater suc- cess in his ministry. Add to all this, that a native Clergy- man commonly unites all his friends and relations in fav- our of the Church, and though they may be at first induc- ed to give her a hearing from interested motives, they sooa discover an acquaintance, that her doctrine is the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. The number of candidates for Holy Orders increased faster by this arrangement, than the funds of the Society could employ them, and his Lordship had still the morti- fication to behold populous towns and villages growing up without being able to afford them any steady religious in- struction. Never desponding though frequently disap- pointed, his Lordship began to hope that, from the great iucreasc of populatiou; and the growing prosperity of the B [ is Diocese, llie€lergy Reserves, if iiudei' bet(cr managemr-nt, might be made to cuuliibute some assistance. So'loii"- as the Colonial Government gave lands to stran,::;ers from any part of the Empire gratis, as well situated as those belong- ing to the Churdi, it could be hardly expected, that leases would be preferred ; and accordingly till the crown lands to be granted, had become remote from the lakes and na- vigable rivers, very few reserves had been taken up: but now that the remaing lands of the crown were difficult of ac(vss and the inhabitants much increased, parents l)e"au to look upon the ('hurch lands, scattered through the best Districts of the Province, as eligible for the future settle- ment of their children. Nevertheless, the revenue arisin-*- from the lease of such lands must of necessity be very slow in its increase, and as they had producd nothing for thirty years, and were.jnst begining to excite attention," they could not be looked upon as an immediate source of support — Du. his Lordship looked to futurity, and supposing that they would become sooner productive, if placed under the direction of those, who had immediate interest in their im- pr(»vement, a charter was procured from his most gracious Majesty, then Prince Hegent, placing the lands,' appro- priated for the maintenance of a Protestant Clergy, under the management of the Clergy of the Established Cliurch, in each province respectively, as a corporate body. At the first general meeting of this Corporation in 1820 Jiis Lordship presided ; a circumstance, which may weli be considered an sera in the history of the Church of Up- per Canada. \^'ith great propriety therefore did the Cler- gy congratulate his Lordship on this interesting occasion, and bail it as opening a prospect of the rapid Increase of the regular t'lergy, and of the speedy accomplishment of those other plans for the suppcjvt and dissemination of the true religion, which his Lordship had so much at heart, and had dime so much to obtain. Among these plans were the regular division of the Co- lony into Parishes— the consccrnlion of the Churches and burial grounds, and the legal induction of the Cler^-y to their livings; all of which his Lordship had nearly ranged. V-. ■fm 10 Should tlio fiituvo liistoriati feel 'mclined to find fault with the little that lias been done by the first Protestant Bishop of (|nehc(:, I reciuest him to pause before pronoun- cing; judgment, in order to examine the many obstacles in ilia Lordship's way during the whole of his Episcopa- cy, and how little his efforts were seconded by tlioso who were able to command success, and indeed how little dis- position the people of Oreat Britain manifested, till lately, towards the religions instruction of their Colonies. That extensive Settlements, composed of British subjects whose loyal has stood the most bitter trials, and whose unaffected devotedness to the constitution of the Mother Country is above all praise, should be left compaiatively destitute of religious instruction, and without an efficient Ecclesiastical establishment to watch over their spiritual interests, is altogether incomprehensible. Can any thing attach Colonies to the Parent State so strongly as a com- munity of religious feeling? How then comes it that great Britain, conspicuous among the nations for her high mor- al, and intellectual qualities, and deriving much of her power, wealth, and |)olitical imjiortanccfrom her Foreign possessions, should be so culpably deficient in what should be the first care of a Christian nation? Is it not evident that the Canadas, as well as the other Colonies, have been left in a great measure to grope their way as they could through the darkness which surrounds them, almost totally unaided by the Parent State? Docs not the grea- ter part of the population of this Diocese, notwithstand- ing the meritorious exertions of the late Bishop, his scat- tered Clergy, and many individuals, remain unimproved, and sadly destitute of religious instruction? What can 53 Clergymen do, scattered over a Country of greater ex- tent than Great Britain? Is it to be wondered at that un- der such circumstances, the religious benefits of the Ec- clesiastical establishment of England are little known or felt, and that Sectaries of all descriptions are increasing on every side? And when it is considered that the rcli- aious teachers of the other denominations of Christians, a very tew respectanic iViiimsiera \n luc ». uuivn "« -•'^ .,.,.« excepted; come almost universally from the Kepublican £0 Stale, of America, wliero they gatl.er their knowIcd-« and form their sentiments, it is ,,„ito evident, that if ijjf Imperial Goveromeut dues not jininediately step forward with efficient hel,,, the mass of the population will 1™ turcd ami instructed in hostility (i iur Parent Clmrch nor wil jt be long till they iral.ihe opinions any tidn " k U favoniahleto the political Institutions of En«!an " t.onvince.l that the attachment of Colonies to the Me- iropolisis depends inffloilely more upon moral and Ueli- fT. r":^' "T P"""™' »"«"»<•■!>«»•, «.evencommer. cial a van age, 1 cannot but lament that more is not done to instil it into the minds of the p-oplc. The cxn" , e rf supporting the Civil an.l Milita.-| K'stablishments'of Can ada, IS said to cost Great Uiitain annually £700 nm of the Helig on of the IParei.t State, of which the Socl^v lor propagating the Gospel in Foreign parts up ,li;^,^ ha f. Can any one doul.t for a moment of the impo "v of this arrangeraent-tlmt Government shonld sXelv allow five thousand pounds to promote the liel o|o,r,„d Mova sentiments & feelings, which are the" Knds of attachment, while she pa/s £700,000 without pScin" any attaxhment or any disposition towards thVParent ' State, which did not previously exist? Is it not eWden that forty thousand pounds per annum (which is scacelv the expenceofa s ngle Keaiment Ui, .m ;„ i *'^'"<'^'y of a zealous Clergy. „1 a niXletTa ^ wo M doT." n producing good ij-eling and loyal attacLent to the X hgious and political Constitutions of England tin,, th,> whole of the above expenditure? It i! reason t" early instruction and exlraple, that the n ty of ".""Ko;^ ITn " Th: .".'."'"'f-''-:?", ""'er methods v^ill b''1„t i >ain. 1 be C.iurrl, establishment must be made efficien an. commenstirate with the wants of the peo ,le-k mu ',' «o longer he thought a matter of indifference' i Colmiia iciKL uie iea{| « t \t otiicrs, if their nre«ervnHnn lu. nf ,'«, the Church an,! a. Institutions, that a truly EngUsh cha'-- ,} £1 ucter and fccliiij; cnn f)c p;ivcn to. or preserved among the population of any Foreign poMscssionr It is indeed mortifyi;"^ to Hunk that when onr late ven- erable Sovereign gave the means, wiiich will in future times become suflRcient to support a religious establish- ment in this Country, he went so far beycmdtlie spirit of the age in which he lived, that after a period of 35 years it has not been sufficiently appreciated, and the Christian spirit has made so little ])rogress that no effectual assis- tance has yet been supplied to give body to the Church, and keep it substantially alive till the bounty of the king becomes available. Now it must be evident to all sin- cere followers of the Cross, that while, out of the many millions of public expenditure, it shall be considered a prodigy to devote a few hundred thousand pounds to sup- port and disseminate religion in the Colonies, which no man has the hardihood to advocate in the British Legisla- ture, Christianity has not produced even in the most fa- vourable situation the effect which she ought to have done. And I will be bold to say, that still this and much more has been accomplished — till besides giving the C(donies religious instruction, the British Parliament contrii)ute to the dissemination of the Gospel through the world, the religion of Jesus has failed in attaining a pro- ptr influence on the minds of the Members, which com- pose that illustrious Assembly. If we take the map of the world in our hands, and after examining it with Chris- tian feelings, ask ourselves what nation has it most in its power to disseminate the Gospel, we shall be forcibly struck with the position of our Mother Country. Posses- sing dominions in every quarter of the Globe, and under every variety of climate, she has the power of carrying re- ligious knowledge to every people, and were she to put forth her energies for this labour of love so attractive and sublime, she might be said to be evangelising, not Na- tions only, but tiie whole world. Now, if we rejoice in every attempt which shennakes to communicate the arts, sciences, and letters, how much more ought it to be matter OI joy lO UUUUSU WiU Ui.w39J,Un3 Ul fc*iv VBVTJ^rva. A^'- ' i X. ever precious the arts of civilized life, & nieciotis (lie 7 must be confessed to be, I.OVV infinitely inferiorarctl;ev totl.ose sul.Iime truths, wlilcji purify the affections of tie I.eart suggest the noblest contemplations to the inin,!, and ,1c- terinine flic destiny of the human race ! If the inhabi- tants of England believe Christianity to be w at nro fesses, a bnght emanation from Heaven, the barb n ^eM f peace and j„, l„ve and felicity, to naliir, as TJt\». «. y.dnals-.f they have found from experience that h^m. rifie^ and refines their sentiments, smooths the pillow f death, and opens the gates of Eternity, hnw shal tliev cv- cuse themselves from labouring by e ery means in theb- power to promote its extension' ^ " cin'^s ?/l?"„f";',''' '"rl"'.""' T'^""'- "f Christian priu- cipes, IS one of the noblest and mostbenificial iniriloses ^- nch Governments can fulfil. It is thus, that , „ ST lltT Tf-"" l'«?P''=''-»n "■''yl'"" found fora Z . Jiant population-where want is exchanged for plentv- Tc InliZd I'fT'-'""! "-M-,K,ses of 'Son accomplished in conferring happiness ni.on a aicatcr be reclaimed and the idolatrous iuhabitants of distant iS^ gions, taught to exert the mighty energies of their minl« and „ worship their Creatorin ^spiri,,^a„d „ . , "n ,^ this IS afield of glory more in the power of Great Brita 7 than ,„ that of all .he rest of the ,l„rld combi" 'l & slightest inspection of the Hlobc presents her vast , , sessions as a belt around it, and' opens an unhon, 1 d a^atre for the exercise of an euligh'tened policy a r,^- gards their government and laws, an,! what s of infinitely "fXr'aTlfr'Vf^'iV"": '"«"• '»"«'^ "- '""I- oicltinal lile What are the triumphs of victory to the dissemination of the Gospel? In vain shall Great Brilak principles of legislation, for which she is distinsuished if shed,, not carry with her the revelations of S'-i she , „es this, she is unjust to her high station-to he" f ':^^i::f";'^:::" T' ^■■^'"•"Sl" .--S the nations.- ^ w.ner CiOwa buu nas eurned; and worn. Every •L X. oilier soi't of £;l()ry lias iadcd in lier possossion, but this the most ii;loiioMs of all rcinains to he won. Let hei* there- fore no lon:i;er leave to individuals or associations the labour of evanii;elizin.i; her Colonies, or even the whole world — their nieans are inadequate, ami acting without concert, /heir {)ro^re!ss must he slow and uncertain. Hut let Ensjland, as she has the means and requires only the will, uMth the divine hlessing put forth her strength. At an expense trifling indeed, compared to what she fre- quently spends upon unprofltahle contests, she might j»lace the moral world on a new foundation, and rise to the pinnacle of moral glory. 15y adopting a uniform sys- tem of religions instruction for all her Colonies in the East, as well as in the West, and following it up with energy and skill, she will establish an Empire more ab- solute than anv, which unhallowed power can hold in subjection, and\vhich will rest on the affections and opin- ions of mure than two hundred millions of men. JSor would such a policy, sublime and affecting as it is, and pregnant with happiness and peace, increase her expen- diture : for as the inlluenc*^. of christian principles exten- ded. thecharj2;e for physical coercion would become less —raurmn.rs would give way to blessings and praise ; and one fourth of t!ie hulnan race being thus reclaimed, the re- mainder would gradually follow, and thus the whole earth become the garden of the Lord. , ^ . .. i But we return from this sublime and fascmating sub- ject to the venerable prelate, whose loss we deplore. He no doubt saw before his death many symptoms leading him to hope, that our Parent state would obtain hat Tuoral triumph of whkh we have been speaking— for that Legislature, which in 179-^ considered the claims ot tho Colonies to religious instruction as the suggestion ot vis- ion.-u-ies and fanatics, has, since that period, sanctioned religious establishments, both in the East and U est In- dies: thus opening a door for the entrance ot thnstianity, in order to make some, though a tardy reparation for^the iniuries which we have inflicted upon these uni'.appy countries. And although the prevalence of religious priu- f\ A "fn-., Ji 24! femHyof man, had nofJeT ex ^e had went, had. nevertheless na^H fh. "^^ 'P'«»<>id advance- wpid extension oftlVbTlnZ^^^'r"'"'^ ■»»'« otherwise been effected """" **'% than could have vast;t„SraX\'^alrkU';etjf''"''«'' "^ "- congregations of primitU crfstUns^^.r^*'' "'""""» Apostles, but it is tobKlinn.j.i ? !■ 'he days of the of God, the intervelgsK In',! '7^'" i''« Messing new congregations till (h„ i i "*"" '"' adorned with united iS ofe To ; jL'l^„lf P°P"'a«on shall become period shall arrive.^h^riTvnl.,'^"'' '"'""'"''' hapPV decoupled in their S, J!?! ?.'"S associations wHl Bishop^of the Diol^^e^^^ ;/•*. ''j?„f'^»"»eti„n of thefi;' ligious EstabUshmen , wb"cb I?H ^''■'* ""'*'' '" ">a' "-e- impressing as he did in Ws diff£lt\"""' '" *»'^atio„ ; tion of hisclergy-the dntvnf u^'''''S'=' "» 'he atten- doctrine of the^tonc«en?^;/eS» ",? 'edemption -the aers by the blood of Christ_*L ^''?" """'« f"' sin- ture-the insufflciencv of m7 ""T^P'ion of human na- -the efficacy of thKeTo"f?Mr:'1^ '■"'"'' §'"'« Mc'ng, sustaining, and sanrHfvi'i'^'''*P»"fl''S. di- Spirit. Now that he hath fc 'f Tr "^ ">« Holy ♦Jungs in remembrance P'^'"'' '""= have thesi ;■■ ■1*; ■isf ;fii € € w, »a A .>v'. •fH H\ A Review of a Sermon, Preached by fhe Hm. and Hev. John Strachan, D. D at York, U. C Sd of July, 1835; on the Death of the late Lord Bishop of Quebec. BY A METHODIST PREACHER. I • .?. ^'ff"»'oii of Christianity is the most important subject that can en-age the attention of men. In its ori- gin, nature, and effects, it may he justly said to be divine. While Its doctrines, principles, and precepts, have been revealed from Heaven by Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and by them, disseminated through different parts of the world, they afford a powerful inducement, and an admi- rable pattern for imitation to their sincere followers in all ages of the world, and in every situation of life Who that considers, that it is the object and tendency ot the religion which they propagated and established, to deliver the earth from her sorrows, to be our comfort in affliction, our joy in health, our hope in death, and our in- estimable possession in eternity, but must feel an anxiety « to enhst among that disinterested band, who fight not for human ambition, or human praise, but for the honor of their Saviour and the Salvation of men." But while we are roused to this holy warfare by the ex- amples of those illustrious heroes of Christianity, and are encouraged with the sublime prospects which her promul- gation presents, and the invaluable blessings which her achievements will bring to the fallen race, we consider it equally important, never to degrade her native dignity and worth, nor make her the author of those corruptions which she forbids and condemns. When we see the heavenly affections which she infuses into the minds of men, represented as nothing more than an attacumunt to a particular constitution or establishment, and those bonds of charity by which she embraces all .'fffsA iiiaiikiiitl, ilescriheil ;is ilie principle which only unites colonies to tlieir " Parent State," to the unchristianiza- tion of all other kingdoms who bow not to this political shrine ; when we see the balm of her consolations, which ihe beds of affliction requirs to unite tiic distressed to their God and to prejiare them to meet him in peace, perverted to the sordid purjioses of extending the influence of a fa- vourite church ; but above all, when we sec I hat which is converted into a vehicle of preferment, a political tool, ex- hibited as " a bright emanation from Heaven, the church of Christ, founded upon Jesus Christ, and his Apostles,*' we are sensible tliat the religion of the meek Saviour is made to bleed by a w'ound more fatal, than those which arc inflic ed by the ravings of infidelity. She is attacked by the most dangerous of all enemies, one who lurks Avithin her borders, shelters himself under her canopy, and feeds upon her benevolence. He who is sincerely attached to the Lord Jesus Christ an«l Ids interests, must feel himself compelled to contri- bute his cllbrts, however feeble tliey may be, to expose sentiments, which are so degrading to the character of Jcs[is and his Apostles, and so destructive to the true in- terests of his holy religion. And, as a dissenter, he must now think it high time to d'^fend himself and his brethren iVom thalcaluiiiuy with which the Doctor's discourses and writings have, for so many years, l)een replete. As to the Christian Religion it is possible for us to err in two respects ; with regard to her nature, and the means to be used for the dissemination of her principles. Either of these mistakes, must necessarily defeat the olvject which she purposes. Into both of these errors, the Doctor seems to have unhappily fallen in the eleborate discourse before lis. He assumes axioms which are far from being self-evi- dent ; and lays down principles which can hardly be supported. He pr. scribes means, which never have been and never will be effectual, in accomplishing the victories of the Kedccmcr ; and l-.e throws out slander, which bet- ter comports with the character of a passionate lawyer, il 27 pleading a hard cause, than it docs with tlie character of a professed Christian, or Minister of the Gospel. Whatever remarks the Doctor's discourse may require me to make, I wish it to be distinctly understood, that I mean no reflection on the doctrines, liturgy, or dis(;i|)iine of the church of which he has the honour to be a Minister. Be assured I mean no sucli thing. 1 firmly Iielieve in her doctrines, I admire her liturgy, and 1 lieartily rejoice in tiie success of those principles which are therein contain- ed. And it is for tlie prosperity of the (ruths which they unfold, that I shall ever pray and contend. And with respect to church government, 1 heartily adopt the senti- ments of the pious and learned Bishop Burnet that " that form of church government, is best w hich is m«)st suita- ble to the customs and circumstances of the people amou"* whom it is established. If I am at any time led to animad"^ vert on the conduct of the clergy of the church ot England, my strictures are not intended to be generally applied. Even in Canada there are very worthy exceptions, whose names I would take particular pleasure in mentioning, were it not a step beyond the bounds of delicacy. Where- ever he is, and in whatever church he is, " I venerate the man, whose heart is warm, Whose hands are pure, whose doctrine, and whose life, Coincident, exhibit lucid proof That he is honest in a sacred cause. To such I render more than mere respect, Whose actions say that they respect themselves. But loose in morals, and in maimers vain, In conversation frivolous, in dress Extreme, at once rapacious aiid profuse; Frequent in park, witt lady at his side, Ambling and prattline;- scandal as he goes; But rare at home, ancl never at his books. Or with a pen, save when he scrawls a card ; Constant at routes, familiar witli around Of ladyships, a stranger to the poor; Arnbitiou? of perferment for its gold, And well prepared by ignorance and sloth, By infidelity and love of world. To mke God's work a sinecure ; a slave To his own pleasures and his patron's pride; From such Apostles, O ye mitred heads. Preserve the church ! And lay not careless hands On skulls that cannot teach m The former part of the Doctor's Sermon abundantly proves that even " uneducated itenerant men, without human aid or influence, can in the strength of the Lord," *^ strew their way from country to country with the wrecks of Patau's kingdom." Did not the religion of the Re- aeemer spread her vicories with nimnct iiYtnnnnoUr„i^\n. «« do pidity HgaiiiBt tlio united ititrigiie and force, of Jewi^^ Greeks and Romans ? Why is not " the manner of pro- pogating the gospel, in the first days of its glory, the most judicious manner of propogating it now ?" Are her evi- dences less clear trnX forcible ? Is her influence less upon the heart ? It' she, without civil support, nay, even op- posed by the civil government, rose triumphant over tho powers of earth and hell, and extended her influence so wide, that as Tertullian informs us. Christians were in the forum, the senate, and in every place, except tho theatre, why is her influence and extension now depending upon Legislative influence? If there be any power in Chris- tianity, it operates on the consciencea of men ; resting solely on the belief of invmble realities. She can derive no weight or solemnity from human sanctions. — « The Kingdom of God" says Jesus " is within you," (Luke xvii. 2L) It is divested of that external pomp and splen- dour which are calculated to excite the admiration of the world ; why then should a union with worldly men and worldly policy be considered essential to its diffusion and establishment ? Is it not plain that whoevei^ insists upon this heterogeneous union degrades the religion of Jesus> and displays an ignorance of its gracious power ? Is this not making Christianity, a pensioner upon political bene- volence, rather than the " power of God unto salvation," (Rom. i. 16 ;) a tool of the state more than " a bright em- anation from heaven ?" No wonder then, that tlie pow- er of religion, when clogged with the selfish contrivances of men, is always weakened. No wonder that those di- vines who are constantly dabbling in politics, are a dis- grace to the church and a pestilence to their parishionersii When was it that the church of Christ began to degen- erate from hfer primative purity ? When religions esta- blishments were first contemplated. — When did popish and cotrupt doctrines receive countenance and siipport in the church ? When religious establishments commenced their existence. — When did papal domination, which has nw% nrnvliX fffxm acr€* tn ao>A. rnmmpnrA her infernal sway ? When religious establishments got 36 the vogue. When was the clergy corrupted by the ema- luments of the church, so as to become dissolute in their lives, loose io their principles, and defective in their in- etrnctions ; that the most superstitious aud destructive errors fiecame unchangeably established j that the •public creed and private sentiments of her ministers widely dif- fered ; and that sadducees found their way even into the pulpit ? Let the faithful records of history declare it, to the everlasting disgrace of religious establishments. The Doctor attributes tlie superiority of intellectual improve- ment in England to her religious establishment. I feel no disposition to «J^" S^, '""cks of try to country strewing their way wUh the wrecK Satan-s Kingdom," " ami havnj f°f^«i»^*„^jS their therewith be content" (1 Tim. vi 8.) J'^""^^^^^^^^^ finaers in politics, or a voice in the l^S'*'*.™™- A" .- « v^erable" successors have become more «««- »°"j^« iJrned to take the world more ^<'''\J^^''^f ^^^^ Christ from house to house, »', 'e/^"'' ^^'l^ Ma„Tof as the " uneducated itenerant" Apostles did. J"^"? " tl ei « venerable" successors have become J completely master of their profession, that they can spend hvo or thr^^ ments, that he is sure our n?'S''\""f,'"*Son" among the doiitfeel the influence of re .giousinM^^^^ ^S ^ mass of their population." I »" "° "^J" TT„ited States, ^viU take the ^^'^XTfTl^S^^^^'^^^^'-'' ^"f without the assistance o^J'^^l'^'^l ^nd talents, both produce "?»'. t^'eterand rtSate, make a much in the pulpit, in the closet, an" I ^^ j^^. more honourable d^play,tha^^ ^^^^^ ^ pise Ihem.-I w U J"'' '*",,* "i^hbouring SUtes, and tionaUsts, Bapt^ts Friends^^^^^ , Itnty^fl^; rS ^lX^jJZ:^t£^ «, ntists couCTCKations, exceeds two tftousnuu, 88 have five hundred ; and the Episcopalians are about three hundred. The Methodists also are numerous."* PHist XJ. S p. 383.] I cannot but take notice of a circumstance in the Doc- tor's Sermon, which though, indiiferent in itself, yet strongly bespeaks the narrowness of his religious feelings. Reluctantly conceding the " praiseworthy exertions of a few religious denominations in the neighbouring states," he observes, " more especially the Episcopal church," which the historian informs us contains only three hun- dred congregations : and those we understand, are not in general, very conspicuous either for their religious zeal or piety. The Dr. affirms, that ^^ without a liturgy, or regular form of prayer, no church can continue long," [p. 14, "J— This carries its own refutation. He also says that *< the liturgy presents with great force, simplicity, and beauty, the ways, means, and ap- pointments of God, to restore our fallen nature to purity, and everlasting life, that'it becomes a source of the liveli- pst devotion; by it the prejudices of men are removed, their minds enlightened and their hearts open 10 the re- ception of the Gospel." [p. 14.] To all this pompous panegync on the wonderful efficacy of the liturgy, 1 shall oppose the testimony of one of the mosi pious, and learned ininisters of the church of England. « During my whole life he says" I have heard of only three instances of persons converted to God, by at- tending to the service of the church in places where the Gospel has not been preached, and I trust I should not exaggerate, were I to say that I h&ve known three thou^ aand in places where it has been preached, rChrist. Obs p. 593, A. D. 1805.] •- In page 13, 14, the Dr. observes that " while the mem- bers of other denominations, connected by no bond of union, by no common principles of order, and no subordi- nation, are soon scattered or divided, our church proceeds • Tl>e Methodiiti coaaist of m^ menben and 1,JS0 Prewhcw- il I 39 with all the advantages, which union, discipline, and order can produce. The people whom we address, are not bewildered with a variety of opinions." I scarcely know which to impeach, the Doctor^s honesty, or his ignorance. Who has not heard of the " variety of opinions," and the warm disputes that have divided the members and even ministers of the church of England, at every period of her existence ? If there be no " variety of opinion" among the members of the church of England, whence originated the theological disputes between Mr. Simeon and Dr, Marsh, between the Christian Observers, and the British Critics ; between Dr. Hawker and Mr. Fellowes, between the Bishop of St. Davids and the Bishop of Llandaff ; between the Evangelical clergy, and the high Churchmen, &c. &c. ? Is it possible for a man of truth, and honegty, to mako representations of this kind ? The Doctor then proceeds to detail the many and seri- ous difficulties which opposed the first establishment, and which still prevents the extension of the church of Eng- land in Canada. He describes in quite striking colours, the almost incredible ignorance, the mental degradation, the vitiated principles and practices, which abounded in the greatest partofthe country at the time of his lordship's first visit, and which now exist in many places. But he considers those obstacles which the " venerable church" has to surmount, the greatest, which are occasioned by dissenters and sectaries. And here, as a hungry parson once did upon the poer men's beef, the Dr. makes a dead set upon the Methodists. « Even when churches are erected, *' says the Dr.," the persons who gave regular attendance are so few, as greatly to discourage the minister, and his influence is frequently broken or injured by numbers of uneducated itenerant preachers, who, leaving their usual employment, betake themselves to m caching the gospel out of idleness, or a zeal without km >vledge, by which they are induced without any preparation to teach what they do not know, and which from their pride tbey disdam to lears." i'l 40 With respect to the small numbers who give regular attendance to the ministrations of the church of England, I am of the Doctor's opinion. For 1 believe those instan- ces are not very rare, which almost compel the venerable clergyman of Canada, to say with Dean Swift, <' my dearly beloved Roger, the Scripture moveth us, in sundry places, &c. And as a remedy for this doleful complaint, we may say with the eloquent Chalmers, '< to fill the church well, we must fill the pulpit well.'- Until that is done, the Doctor's mournful cries of Sectarianism! Schism! Kepublicanism ! will still be screeching in our ears ; and the repose of the " Imperial Parliament" will continue to be disturbed by the desponding exclamations. '« The churrh is in danger— money ! power !"— Is there no de- liverance from those tedious qualms, with which the Dr. hasfor so many years been pained ! Yes, it is found iti 2. Tim. iv. % Preach the word ; be instant in season and out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long, suffering and dictrine." As to the Doctor^s remarks on the qualifications, mo- lives, and conduct of the Methodist itenerant preachers thej> are ungenerous, unfounded and false. Tfie Methodist preachers do not value themselves unou the weaJtb, virtues, or grandeur of their ancestry : nor do they consider their former occupation an argument aeainst their present employment or usefulness. They have learned that the " venerable" Apostles, were once fisher- men ; that a Milner could once throw the shuttle • and that a Newton was not ashamed to watch his mother^s flock. By these examples, and a hundred more, they feel themselves sufficiently shielded from the envious re- flections of a bigotted ecclesiastic. They are likewise charged with « preaching the gospel out of idleness.''— ^oes the Dr. claim the attribute of omniscience ? Does he know what is in man ? How does he know they preach « the gospel out of idleness ?" Let the Doctor re- inember that « with what judgment he judges, he shall be judged," [Matt. vii. 2.] What does tffe Doctor call laieness ? Not the reading of one or two dry discourses 41 <- every Sabbath : not the preaching to one congregation, with an annual income of 2 or £300. No ; this is hard labour, this is indefatigable industry. Two or four hun- dred pounds per annum ra no inducement, no motive for preaching the gospel. Those who labour in this Apos- tolic manner, and for this small pittance, cannot be other- wise than the " venerable successors" of the Apostles. — Who are they then, that preach the gospel out of idle- ness ? Those indolent covetous men who travel from 2 to 300 miles and preach from S5, to 40 times every month. Those who in addition to this visit from house to house, and teach young and old ^* repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," (Acts, xx. 21.) Those who continue this labour year after year, and are elevated with the enormous salary of 25 or £50 per annum ; these are the men who preach " the gospel out of idleness." — O bigotry ? thou parent of persecution ; O envy ! thou fountain of slander ; O covetousness ! thou god of injus- tice ! would to heaven, ye were banished from the earth ! The Methodist preachers are said to be " uneducated," and to preach the gospel without " any preparation." — To a collegiate education they do no* make pretensions. But it should not be forgotten that there are other ways and places of improvement, besides the Doctor^s Acade- my at and that if this objection may be brought a- gainst the Methodist preachers in Canada, it cannot be brought againat those who composed their articles & disci- pline; & who formed their constitution. The founders of me- Ihodism, were not inferior to the most illustrious of their age, both in the republic of letters, and in scientific know- ledge in general. But the Methodist preachers are not destitute of learning ; nor do they undervalue it. They consider it indispensibly necessary to an able minister of the gospel. They go farther. They say ^' to human learning, we must add divine grace ;" " thai man is not properly qualified" say they " who can only translate some of the classics, read a chapter or two of the Greek I^OsijUin, icucaiac; luc xjuiu's piiijc.l" umi iiiv ---^ix ■uAjUiiHtiju.i." ments in Latin, perhaps write a Latin sermon &c. — if lie be destitute of that wisdom which comes down from ' 11 ^^1 4S ' I heaven, ^* lie cannot discern the things of the spirit of God," (1 Cor. ii. 14.) " Old thin2;s must pass away, and all things must become new,'' {2> Cor. v. I7.) St. Paulas learning, though extensive, did not quality him for the ministry. " His sins must be washed away, and he, be filled with the Holy Ghost," (Acts, ix. I7.) The son of God was revealed in his heart, before he wap qualified to preach him among the heathen J ' '.16.) Kxcept a man be born not only of water, bu: uie spirit he cannot see, much less can he enter, and we add, much less is he qualified to preach the kingdom of God, (John, iii, 3, 5.) "Learning and piety'* says an able divine " accompanied with a Ci)nsciousness of the divine call, constitute the ac- complished and able minister of Jesus Christ." The Methodist preachers consider a knowledge of the languages, both desirable and useful, and encourage the attainment of them, and allow to those who possess this knowledge all the superior advantages which it confers. But they do not think that what is commonly called clas- sical learnings is essential to the minister of the Gospel. A few words excepted, it is quite needless to refer to the original languages in theological discussions, and on all those words and phrases, where the meaning is equivocal, or where a difference of opinion exists, all has been, that can with profit, be said. So generally is the learning of antiquity, and science in genei a, brought within the limits of our mother tongue, that we can attain a com- petent knowledge of all the sciences (excepting a few tech- nical terms) without knowing any other than the English language. This is so true in divinity, that we see very many divines, who attach a great deal of sanctity and vir- tue to classical learning, no sooner pass the Bishop^s hands, than they bid farewell to the ancient languages, and in a few years know as little about them (a few pro- verbial phrases excepted) as those who never learned them. Of what advantage is it to have known the good old way, and if after we have known it, we depart from the holy commandment delivered unto us ? \. But the Methodist church is not indiff( 4V%t% iiing God ? Have they the love of God abiding: in them ? Do thev desire I v. XunMMHMI I w 4« Motliiiis Imt God ? And are they holy in all manuer of coiivci'sation? ^ » ., i •» II. Have they gifts (as well as grace) for the work r* Have they [in some tolerable degree] a clear sound un- derstanding, a right judgement in the things of God, a just conception of salvation by faith ?— And has God given them any degree of utterance ?— Do they speak justly, readily, and clearly ? . III. Have they fruit ; are any truly convinced of sm and converted to God by their preaching ? As long as these three marks concur in any one, we believe he is called of God to preacli.— These we receive as a suificient proof that he is moved by the Holy Ghost to preach. [Meth. Discipline, p. 44.] When Methodist preachers are adfmitted to travel on trial in the manner already noticed, the following rule is given :— ** It shall be the duty of the Bishop or of a com- mittee, whom he shall appoint, at each annual conference, to point out a course of reading and study, proper to be pursued by candidates for the ministry ; and the presiding elder, whenever such are presented to him, shall direct them to those studies, which have been thus recommen- ded.— And before any such candidate is received into full connexion, he shall give a satisfactory evidence, respect- ing his knowledge of those particular subjects, which have been recommended to his consideration." [Discip. p. 32.] Accordingly; "The committee of preachers ap- pointed to arrange a plan or course of study for the candi- dates for admission into full connexion with the travel- ling preachers of the Methodist church in Canada, recom- mended the following courses of study as indispensibly necessary." ^ Z>ivi«%.— Wesley^s Sermons, Fletcher^s Checks, Clark^s and Benson^s Commentaries. Logic. — Watts* Logic. Ecclesiastical History. — Mosheim^s and Miluer^fl Ec- clesiastical Histories. Grammar. — Murray ^s Grammar. Geography. — Morsse^s Geography. 4a They farther recommend the following studies as iisfir ful and ornamental : — viz. jyatural Philosophy. — Wesley^s Philosophy. Jlncient and Modern History. — Goldsmith's Rome, Greece, and lilngland, Rollings Ancient History, Prideaux, and Shuckford's Connections. Poef/'y.— -Milton's Paradise Lost, Young's Night Thoughts, and Cowper's Poems. Biography. — The lives of Wesley, Fletcher, Coke, Bramwell and Francis Xavier, British Nepos, &c. Chronology.—^ljhtk^a Tables, contained in his Com- mentary. The selection of authors on some branches, might per- haps have been more judicious ; but do the above extracts show that the Methodist preachers " are induced without any preparation to preach what they do not know, and which from their pride they disdain to learn ?" — Tim Methodist preachers are required to be diligent and stu- dious, not only before they enter into full connexion, but during the whole course of their ministry. To such their discipline [p. 60] gives the following directions. — " Read the most useful books, and that regularly and constantly. Steadily spend all the morning in this employment, or, at least five hours in four and twenty. And if any haviJ not a taste for reading, let them acquire it or return to their former employment." What are the public left to think of a man of God, a prop of the church, who, surrounded by the sacred vest-/ ments of his ministry, with the word of truth before Iii^ eyes, and standing as an ambassador for Christ, wil^.« when warned by all these solemnities, and in the face /^l the above evidence, pour forth slander as black as it' is bitter ? — It is not impossible that the Methodist ministry? with all their imperfection and ignorance, may be almf^st as useful to the uncultivated inhabitants of Canada, as Jj® who \ -" stands fast wedged ' ^\ Between two empirics, and with swolen cheek* \ Inspires the news, his trumpet keener far \ Thau all invective is hia bold harangue, 1*6 \ While throiigli that public organ of report He bails the clergy ; and defying shame, ^ Announces to the world bis own, and theirs ! He teaches those to read whom schools dismina'd ; And colleges untaught ; sells accent, tone, And emphasis, in score, and gives to pray'r , The adagio and candate it demands. He grinds divinity of other days • ; Down into modern use ; transforms old print To zigzag manuscript, and cheats the eyes Of gallery critics by a thousand arts. Are there Who purchase of the Doctor's ware ? O name it not in Gath ! it cannot be That grave and leatned cferks should need such aid. He doubtless is in sport, and does but droll. Assuming thus a rank unknown before, Grand caterer and dry nurse of the -hurch." The Dr. having given this death blow to the Method- ist preachers, continues severtal pages, developing the wretched state of morals, and the want of improvement in Canada ; and the very serious impediments in the pro- curing of support, either from England or from the Legis- lature of these Provinces. Also, that the want of la- borers, and the scarcity of means induced the Bishop of Quebec to apply to the " society for the propogation of the Gospel in foreign parts," to increase the number of their missions. " His Lordship^s request being favourably re- ceived " says the Doctor," the next difficulty was to pro- cure clergymen. For when they [the society] had as- sented to the Bis!iop*s prayer, in as far as they were able, clergymen of enlightened piety could not be found willing to leave England for Canada ; that gentlemen of educa- tion and zeal refused to forsake their homes, and the en- dearing associations, of early years, to come to so distant and inhospitable a colony." \lf " gentlemen of enlightened piety and zeal would not sajcvifice their homes and the endearing associations of eajrly years" to preach the word of life to the uncultivated inlhabitauts of this colony, who would ? Would those of yss piety and less zeal do it ? If this he the charicter of ^xhe <« gentlemen of enlightened piety and zeal,^' what no- / tions are we left to entertain of the great mass of the y English clergy ? Can these be the " sincere foiiowers of / a ,/ VIethod- ting the Moeut in ;he pro- e Legis- it of la- ishop of on of the of their •ably rc- s to pro- had as- ere able, 1 willing r educa- 1 the en- distant ould not itions of iltivated those of Ticter of i^hat no- s of the lowers of 47 U^cfivVu,. tt m"^u„I'l'!;V'"' followers of hi,„ „,,« love father or moll er w to" ohlwr™"?"'' " '^ ""-V "■«" more than me or my g„, "^ h, '!''' ""'J"""*' '"' '""'Is, (Luke,xiv.s6.) Can^&e »,??".? ^" -y .Hsciple ?- •' counted all thing, buZ,' fo,- ^l.!''"'"',."^ '""■' " '•» knowledge of ChriftJesu7?»f/h,''^?.T,''"'.ry »'' "«> was " willing not only t,. I.b i> . "'v*'^ "f h'™ who •lie for the £„rd JeL'r", xT'^ *' Jo™salem, but to gentlemen of e«%/,,e„,rf.,,';^f';, ''X- <«.) Can these We'- successors o^fhim whC« vvent fr"' '" ""' " ^'="«™- ^ry, strewing his ^'^y ^U.i^t^:;'^;:^ eleSm^l^E'^^^^^^^^^^ ana pioJs the Doctor has poured mZ thli . 'l'''* "Pfoach that Would be too leLuTal es^Jr V/"" ^« [o" "'^ task hough bis Lordship con' d not fi„,l IT' '"'"*"'''' """ tened piety i„ England, e could If ".'""'•" ""^^ '"''^'''■ kingdom who could sacriflL „n i ,**""* '» "'« sister sociation of early years ' Imnh ""^^ "■" " <'>"l«aring as- over to the helpythe /„rd"'l^'''" .T" '"'"'^l'. " to ?ome though this object on mid f 2fh"" "? ""S^*^" ffonoe tlemenof.„,,ife,„:/;g^^^'',,,''™"^ rt n°"f '" PS-'i-'st thosi of Scotland ^ ""' " '""''» ofCa:itSt'f.rarwt^?''^««^ reproach the lulce warmness S V v *?'' ''^""•"ly mences hostilities with the ImneiLV!-'' ''^'"^' ''"^■ which he brandishes hi, hi. / I'arliament, against vehemence and abil ty H^weyff ft !5'"' " ^""'' "°'" "^ that he has cut his way to Z 1,^' ''f ""' y" "PP^w think that the Imneriaf P„!' ^^'^'"=''5 "nd as wc f«fe"'linSthLt':Ld'^atrtrof^"^^^^^ ^''"""« "^ rending subiT^tuLTS'rhft'""''",^"'',''" "■" h"-' scattered oyer a cSr of «!''''' ^? clergymen do. BriUin > 1= :. K ■ ^ - S™«ter extent than n..,J - . .. .t to 00 woadered at that under such cir^im- -Jv mmm slnuccs, (lio religious benefits of the ecclesiastical establish- ment of England, are little known or felt, and that sec- taries of all descriptions are increasing on every side? And when it is considered that the religious teachers of the other denominations, a very respectable portion of the ministers of the church of Scotland excepted, come al- most universally from the Republican States of America, where they gather their knowledge and form their senti- ments, it is quite evident, that if the Imperial Govern- ment does not immediately step forward with efficient help,* the mass of the population will be nurtured and instructed in hostility to our Parent church, nor will it be long till they imbibe opinions, any thing but favourable to the political institutions of England" We are sorry to sea the Dr. reduced to such a dilemma of agitation and distress ; but we fear that his recovery will not be imme- diate. He asks in the language of despair ^' what can 53 clergymen do scattered over a country of greater extent than Great Britain ?" —For the Doctor^s reflection and encouragement 1 would ask what did 13 Apostles do in the midst of an obstinate, a barbarous, and a persecuting worl^J? — What did a Waldus do in the valleys of Pied- mont ? What did a Wickliffe do in England ? What did a Luth r do in Germany ; nay, in the Christian world ? What did a Wesley and his contemporaries do in Europe ? What have the Methodists done in Ameri- ca ? The most of these were not endowed with miraculous gifts. Why did they not cry out in the tone of discour- agement, " What can one man do in the face of an anti- christ! an world ? Why did they not apply to some Legislature for pecuniary aid ? Because they had learned that *« the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," [Eccl. ix. 11.] Because they felt the force of * Is it not astonishing to hear such language in a country where three millions of acres are set apart for the support of 53 clergymen, besides their proportion of nearly iSlOjOOO a year given for the support of the established faith, in the Canadas bjr the British Parliament, and by the Society for propagating the Gospex in foreign pafis? 4U that saying, '• cursed is tlie man llial liustctli in man and maketh flesh his arm, wiiosc heart departcth from the Lord,*' [Jer. xvii. CI.] Because they know that tiic vie- torles of the cross did not owe their extension to l^egisla- tivc influence or support. Because they believed the wea- pons of tiieir warfare were not carnal, but mighty throu'-h God to the pulling down of strong holds, {2. Cor. x. 1.) Because they had * the sword of the spirit, which dividetU asunder the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,' (Eph. vi. 17, Heb. iv. IS.) Because titey were convinced * that the manner of propagaLig the gospel in the first days of its glory, must be the most judicious manner of propagating it now.' And < according to their faith so it was done unto them,' (Matt. ix. 29.) Let the < venerable* successors of the Apostles in Canada, go forward in the spirit of him whose resi- dence was among the habitations of distress and the taber- nacles of the poor ; let them in reality, be the followers of them who « declared the whole counsel of God, in sea- son an ' " bukin! (Acts, _^^ ^^ claim, not in the Ian -uage of apology, but in thesongof triumph < what have 53 clergymen done in the British Canada Colony !' Would to God they might so do, and that every house might become a house of prayers, and every heart, a temple of the Holy Ghost ! One particular reason, which the Dr. assigns for im- ploring the aid of the Imperial Parliament is, that repub- lican principles will be instilled into the minds of the peo- ple, by the ' religious teachers of the other denominations, who' he 3ays < come almost universally from the Repub- lican States of America.' To put the Dr. at rest on this point, and to remove thiij cause of complaint, 1 remark, that the « religious teachers of the other denominations' do not talk or think quite so much about politics as the Doctor does. They have something else to do. They leave oth£rs to attend to temporal affairs, that they may < give themselves to prayer, aa and to the niiuislry of (he word,' [Acts, vt. 4.1 ti,p* find as much as they can do in hunlinc un ' the lit i ' of the house. of Israel/ [Matt. xv. sl,] 'wi'.ho 'UtS their fingers in every polilical question that is agilated^f the colony. They feel the fo>4 of that commwl'sive Ihyseli Mly l„ them, study to show thyself a workmin «,atBeedeth„«ttohe ashanfed,' [i Tim.'^iv. ig.S'C a. 16.] 1 hey beheve it to be their duty above all mrn to 'have their conversation in heaven,' [Phil, iU go i l1;»?,h''l"" "'Sl't he their private feeli^ngs, heyk^ov^ hat they have not come to canvass political mestion^Z to «cal sinners to repentance,' [iVlitt. ix. is'l ' "' But the asserhon is false, rbey are not rennblican., • neither are they infected with republican p indples • "ol^ senlTa^^tiltrn^'^r '^td' o^Tofll'"" ."T body of the Methodist iteneiJaTpiictrs^vl^stlmt he the principal butt of the U„ctor>ut aspiring to sway the public mind. Besides this preference which I have for a retired mode of life, there were other dissuasives to my entering upon this controversy. In treating of the claims of our holy and venerable establishment, upon the filial reverence, and dutiful respect, of every inhabitant, with- out exception, of Upper Canada, 1 am aware of the disad- vantages under which I begin the discussion. From the bottom of my soul, 1 believe in the faith of Christ, and yet I cannot cant — I cannot affect a solemnity which 1 do not feel ; though fully convinced, from the example of my adversary, that a well acted hypocrisy — a bold con- demnation of what I do not understand — a broaching of principles which I do not believe — would gain many of the unintelligent populace to my side : nor has it escaped my notice that he, who professes to defend, has a more diificult task to perform than his assailant ; and that while this is true generally, the difficulty is seldom greater than in the particular controversy to which I am drawn. For, thougii nothing is more true than that church of England principles, discipline, and establishment, are in strict con- formity with ^ Apostolic authority and practice,' by what media of proof am 1 to convey a sacred impression of its truth to the generality of ray readers. We, of Upper Canada, are not read deeply in Greek and Latin Fathers — we are not versed in the valuable treasures of musty and strangely written manuscripts amid contradictory tes- ti monies-— we are not skilled to wei^h the value of each— - nor can it be expected that a plain farmer; or respectable I \ il ■£ 34i artisan, will appreciate the testimony of old authors, wheu even the learned < Reviewer' has mistaken Cyprian, antt adopted a quotation to which his .dversary has the legiti- mate claim ; and, tlierefore, though the right of private Judgment he admitted in its utmost latitude, we are not in- deed qualified to exercise the capacities, witii which lieaven has blest us, on the mailer, unless it be to resolv& this, that sense and virtue, and Christianity, oblige us, in this state of the matter, to comply with the rejigion of our fathers, till we are better informed, and can render a just reason for the change. But here again a difficulty ob. trudes Itself upon the defender of the orthodox faith. For the spirit of the ago U that of innovation. The time was. ot which our fathers and grand-fathers have told us, when men were modest in manners, and in mind—when their prejudices were in favour of antiquity-when, from this laudable and evangelical attachment to the institutioas of prior ages, they were cautious in receiving even what, in the particular, was true and useful. But that time, not undesired, has been succeeded by another, in which everv t ling that IS novel will command admiration—everv thin- that calls itself liberal will attract followers— and a wild andfrantipjoyis found in change— change even without lTe:«^ •' . ?'.^ "^^ [-nofelty, and this affection o liheral principle, IS no where more vitdent than in this free and happy countrv-it may ultimately result in e;ood —out Its present operation will be to prevent a fair recen- tion of the arguments, by which the established church is to be defended. Every man among us maintains hL El'''wt;J^1 '"^^^T «^i"^S-"tinratte religious Would to heaven, they would truly exercise ou^ZTa- ^•'''^r' ""^l^^^i^ themselves as unbiased by one prejudice as by another-as little swayed by the love erahir^';-''-*^^ '""^^^^^^'^ ^^^ ^^ ^ "-^^^rence for ven erable antiquity-would to heaven, they would do this and this cau.e I advocate would be already won. ' «n!p^ / *^lf l^"""" P^^t «f my situation remains to be ex- Ic^^iLh!! '" "^ ""'^'PP^ ^^^^ *« ''« ^^"«d to conduct ?l contest with a nerson whn is morp],r « ..„ V ^ \ rs, w'heu ian, anc} le legiti- ' private e not in- li which res()lv& ;e us, ill n of our 'V a just llty oh- th. For ne Wiig^ s, when m their am this ioxis qf vhat, in IIP, not li every ■y thing a wilt| ivithout ction of in this 1 good recep- irch is ns his natters zeroise Jed by e lovft r ven- 3 this; )eex- nduc^ ' 'eieii- der—a shadow of what he affects to be«-a man of leam: ing—who has no knowledge, but what he has pilfered; of the languages-a critic without canons-a person beina: full ol sound and fury, signifying nothing. I appeal to any person who has read this would-be * Review.' whe- ther the author has not laboured to impress the mind of the reader with an idea of his learning, and various research. lir. h. {or go years as laborious a student as was in A.- inerica, forsooth, is ignorant ! ignorant of the nature— Jgnorant of the history— unacquainted with the defences oi Christianity— and the reviewer, with infinite condeceu- sion,, affects to set him right. Now, in due time, Mr. R, shall have proper acknowledgments for his pains. At present I shall content myself with affirming, that this bold and unblushing man is an ignoramus-^that he pre- tends to knowledge which he has not —but half under- stands the arguments he uses— quotes authors whom he has never read— and distorts the truth of history. But before I proceed, I call the public to witness that this controversy comes unsought. We, of the church of England, deprecate religious altercations. Much as we have been provoked, we had rather, if it might be, for- bear—nor are we disposed to take up the gauntlet of de- fiance cast down by an unworthy antagonist, unless it shall appear absolutely necessary'. Nothing but the modesty of the establishment— nothing but the eager joy, with which men of all ranks throughout this Province have received the doctrines of the Church of England, whenever they have been offered— nothing but the tender- ness with which she regards the prejudices of all those, who, unattached to other forms of worship, have not yet obeyed her voice of invitation— has prevented a public and full exposition long ago of her many and incontrover- tible claims on the obedience or the respect of every soul within this Province. She has nothing to dread from public discussion of her claims-^nor from such discussion, provided it be ample and fair, does she expect aught but complete victory, ^till, frpw a perusal of the review I suspect treachery. i I ! 1 u It becomes me not indeed to disguise that my respect for Methodists, of any name or natui (hat I have yet en- countered, is for from high. They have much, I tliink, to answer for, both to God and man, for the schism which they have unnecessarily introduced into the peaceful bosom of the church. In this colony 1 look upon the •American Methodists as politically dangerous : and I am prepared, with facts if it were necessary, to go farther than Dr. Strachan in his sermon has gone, in my charges against them. But in analysing the '< Review,' I cannot persuade myself that the author thinks himself a Method- ist. 1 have yet a better opinion of the Methodist disci- pline than isi believe, without fuller proof than 1 have at present, that he is a < Methodist Preacher.' For the man varies his fundamental principles in different parts of the same piece. He may, indeed, be a crafty politician —he may be a bold infidel—he may be * legion,'— to all these characters his claims are indisputable— but, no, he cannot be a * Methodist Preacher.' ' ^ For is it 'possible that a Methodist Preacher can be governed by such dreadful malignity of disposition to- wards ^a mother church ? Is it possible that he should admit, broadly and fully, principles, which go to destroy Christianity, as well as episcopacy ? Is it possible that a holy preacher of a sect so strict, that we, poor souls' think them sanctimonious, should make bis < coup d'essai' in the polluted numbers of the Colonial Advocate ? Does he really lay down the jjolitical principles of the whole Methodist connexion? Are the Methodists so adverse to church and state as he describes them to be ? Are they all as uncharitable as ^ #Ae Methodist Preacher^^ IhenI say that the Rev. Dr. Strachan, when he was upon the sufjject, has betrayed distrust, in not holding: them up to full and marked reprobation. But, surely, to the Methodists, as to the church. vio,!; ^''T/^f'. '^^'^^^^'y *^ ^" *»*«'""al evidence in the re- view Itself, this swaggering polemic should, in truth, be "i« tuaracicr 10 wiiicu he pretends, he must be sensible, f t 57 that, before an adversary can conduct an argument with mm. It IS necessary that he, the said Methodist Preacher fa* Methodist Preacher?' Let him state his dHinitely, lor the oxpi-ession is very vague. There are Metliodists ww^ere loUowersof W esley, and others, folhnvers of ^hitfield Weiiaveseen English M.thudists, and Methodists from America, diijering; so vvi(h^ly. that this extensive Province could not harbour both at tiie same ime ; then there are Irish Methodists, u ho are allowed to have communion, it appears, with neither ; and -more- oyer, there are * new lights' sprung np in Lenox and Ad- clington, who, far from having any objection, like our re- viewer, to politics, were the main instruments of return- ing a member to Parliament, whose object it has been ever since he was there, to sweep off church and state— every thing generous, and every thing honorable, and every thing dear to British feeling, from the face of the earth. Jjut the reviewer cannot even I)e classed with these loyal subjects ; for though they reject church and state m their system, they nevertheless retain the nrinci- pie of < holiness of life, being desirable in a believer,' which holiness of life, on a perusal of the Methodist Preacher's articles, 1 perceive that in two d(^finitions which he there gives of Christianity, he has excluded from' his code of doctrine. Let us then know laith whom ihU controversy f which we do not seek) is to be carried on,— let it be clearly un- derstood what the reviewer intends to substitute for the church establishment ; and let his definition of this be complete. The established church will then take up the sjauntlet that has been cast down by this bra^-o-adocio A CHURCH-0 K.ENGLAND MAN. "THE CHURCH OP ENGLAND MAN.« " Quin age, si quid habes; in me mora non erit ulla- Nee quenquavifugio.— ' Boaster come on, arm do the worst you can: I fear not you, nor yet a better man." Dr. Blair judiciously observes; that < it is muoh easier '^ atatma 56 tp point out the defec(s and faults of others, than to correct our own/' The truth of this remark must be very forcil)ly felt by every one who reads an article in the < Kingston Chronicle,'' said to be written by * a church of England man.'—^Although the humble author is strongly attached to f ar. _,„ip.„„ abuse ; the n ^"lllL" ' rra,^a ^^^^^^^^^^ :t' in aK a^^s of shaUow ""fi'jf f„;3, of England man need not again "" '' .!„ oVth«e coU mns of the Chronicle in cnqui- and by lowering his 'T.'^^, |^'i%^Lt fhtSmcant ' ' WhtS MelS Sler refers the .hole cause t„r;iVof^hrscV,pt«reswh^lY are^^^^^^^^ rif^v':; th^Tu^sri^liinof the subject toshow,wUe.her T 61 June 3d, 1826. 'fHEREVIEVVKH. fOJi r/fiB CHRONICLE. clonnct criUc' au,l with U.c cSSb! 1 b ,,..1 ^. to the .li,p„te.l document "of U4'?;rf,i "u/eirT V uom H.e apostles to the preseat day.- 'l am uitwiiltas '.■f. V't, V to imitate thft vulgarity of personal invtictive, or tjie acri- mony of individual vituperation ; Inii perhaps so loosfe and nnqualiiled an assertion as that 1 have quoted will iimj^ly warrant a retort of tiie. iifcusation he was pleaJsed to make against a worthy and highly gifted divine that a < inofound ignorance of religion and church history, and a pitiable bigotry,' must have directed the observation. Bxntura in crasso jurares acre natum. t ani far from being disposed to censure any consrien- tiuu8 dissent from ear(y cstaidished constitutions, had en- qoiry, and deliberation, accident and circumstances, con- spired to eflect that decision ; but we cannot withhold our condemnation of that wilful and unnecessary depar- ture from the appointments of Christ*s Apostles, and first Ministers, which is plainly implied in the acknowledg- ment from our critic of a ' firm belief in the doctrines, aa admiration of thp liturgy, and a hearty congratulation for the success of the principles,' vvhicii the church of Eng- land maintains. We ^inay respect sL necessary deviatioa from primitive forms ; but we cannot lend any counte- nance or encouragement to that criminal indifference t© apostolical constitutions, and to that slight of the positive ordinances of scripture, which some of our dissenting brethren rank amongst things of no consideration. Is it a matter of no consideration that the ' seamless coat of Christ^ should be rent asunder and torn into fragments — that the ^ chnrch of God which he hath purchased with his own blood,' should be lace-ated and dismembered by those endless divisions, which must result from a callous inat- tention to one, apostle, general, and undivided, constitu- tion of it — that, by multiplied diversities of opinion, and the whimsical and indiscreet erection of countless systems and forms, we should bid an eternal farewell to the hope of seeing that happy period restored, \Vhen the < multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul ?' We are, and caimot but be aware of the influence of self- opinion combined, as it too often is, with ignorance, and a besotted attachment to early formed prejudices ; yet, Tipi^KnM n'vnmT-tiu mvn l>nl\i(-/^an iiistirir art ad j|0|>a|im(i tr\ Duprxv- f i WW (MIS. It IS surely iMcumhcnl «n us, as well ii, ,,„, sills £S£5?i=^ chuirhfMrM^ *' • ^ undisputed piact ce of the cjiu ch for in centuries as our leniembrancci- wa l.nU who were „p,...i„,ed by CWsr h ns' Ho''', fe, 'td"1! empower others to preach the saviii" truths »ml ' • •ster the outward s|„.Ms an.roSaict 'oft tr/rj^. Jm![{i;.T,"i'™i? !•" "'"''" '■••"'" "•"• ' 'Eloquent' Roviewer anv denies that tlX, J,^' ^e'rete reSi ^o'T'l^.r ment, who flourished about the 96fch vear nf Vi,p pi • r «.e ..u f^^ctL'siirLror^^ ' — . r-x«,,„i«ijj 4uai we periorm mir \ 64 oft'ei'ings and services to God, at their appointed seasons, and by tlie jjcrsuns that minister unto them. For the chief priest lias his proper services, and to the priests their proi)ei' place is appointed, and to the Levites belong their proper ministrations, and the layman is confined within the bounds oF what is commanded to laymen ?' If we are not to infer from this that the offices of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon, io the Christian church, were analogous to those of High Priest, Priest, and Levite, in the Mosaic dispensation, where would have been the sense or pro- priety of those allusions of Jst. Clement ? And are we to infer nothing for the nature and distinction of the or- ders which our church maintains from the testimony of Ignatius, when he exhorts the Magnesians to * do all tilings in unity, under the Bishop presiding in the place of God, and the Presbyters in the place of the Apostolical Senate, and the Deacons to whom is committed the mini- stry and service of Jesus Christ ?' With regard to the confusion of the two words Bishop and Presbyter, or, to borrow t!ie language of our Review- er, that the < terms Bishop, Presbyter, or Elder^, were promiscuously used in scripture for the names of the same offices.' The above cited testimonies [to which a thou- sand others could be addedj sfiould lead to the convic- tion — a conviction, I must be bold to say, which would be not a little aided by a competent knowledge of the o- rjgina.1 tongue of the New Testament, which he affects so much to despise- -that although every Bishop be a Pres- byter, every Presbyter is not a Bishop. For, * to turn to the law and to the testimony, we fi^nd that Paul and Bar- nabas ' ordained them elders in every city ;' but we never hear of elder* invested with the power of ordaining others — and when it was said to Timothy, ^ rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father,' we must assuredly infer a pre-eminence in the office of Timothy above that gf an elder. I will oiily further remark on this branch of the sub- ject, that the corruptness of the Romish church destroys not the validity of their orders^ especiclly as these ar« ^ ^ J. vi % ^ ^ J. 63 deduced from a sound and legitimate ori-inal— and that 110 prince nor power can take away, although they may Jorbid the exercise of that sacred commission— and con- sequently, that the prelates who were deposed by Queen Mary, couUl never be deprived of the authority—an au- thority, we may say, derived from Christ himself, through he medium of his Apostles, and their successors-4o Meach,' and to ^ preach,' and to ' lay hands' on others. As well might it be asserted that the rite of baptism ad- ministered by a corrupt Priesthood, whose commission, nevertheless, was legal and valid, is not effectual to the admission of them we receive it to a participation in the blessed privileges of which that sacrament is a sisrn, a seal, and a means. In regard to ' religious establishments,' I beg to observe that our entices inference from the state of Christianity in the time of our Saviour, cannot apply to succeeding ages. At that time, he must know, Judea was a conquered Pro- vince, subject to the Roman bondage— but it does not fol- low, because all collision with political authorities was then wisely avoided by the propagators of Christianity, that this would have been the case when the religion of Christ became the predominant one of a state or empire. 1 he religion which God gave to the Jews was intimately blendea with their civil polity ; and who will presume to call m question the wisdom of that connexion ? Nor will the same argument be wanting, in a christian country, for the expediency of closely associating its religion with its government— for the least observant, and even the ^ pro- foundly ignorant' will admit that a civil constitution, built upon religious principles, is likely to be more perfect and permanent, than one which disclaims all such connexion; whilst none acquainted with the Jewish law will deny, that the arm of the civil power may often interfere for the preservation of religious duties with wholesome effect. So far from admitting the justice of our Reviewer's in- sinuations, I readily and entirely coincide with the learn- ed and PYr-Ailont /1;«Mno v'»l"~ !•- ''- I vihjies, that religion is not likely to exist ia a commanity. vi % 66 tvith &qual extent and influence, when it does not possess the character and authority of an estahlishment. Witli- out adverting to actual experience, i sliall briefly assert it as a thing natural and to be expected — that mankind, if left to individual and voluntary contributions for the sup- port oi a ministry, will never possess a standing or per- manent Priesthood — that the effects of the occasional and desultory instruction they may receive would be-to render them the sport of * every wind of doctrine' — the dupe of gratify their natural curiosity .. _. liear some new thing.' Then would we behold many en- listing themselves for a time under the parochial charge of some self-appointed and enthusiastic teacher, directed in their choice by whim or caprice, and only retained in their adherance by private convenience, or the award of popular favour. But when that charm had passed awiiy^ and the breath of popular applause began to veer — when, perhaps, private pi^ue, or personal resentment had con- verted those attractions into the blackest deformity — then Would we find a ready secession from that preacher and that community, accompanied with the most violent breath- ings of disappointment and hatred. But, alas ! is so mo- mentous a thing as religion to be made the sport, of man- kind's fickle passions? Is the < unity of the spirit and boiHl of peace' to be dissevered and broken by every change of man's unstable dispositions? Is the church of Christ to be built upon the uncertain foundation of man- kind's froward will ? Is the welfare of the immortal soul to be dependent on the inconstancy of perverse af- fections ? — No : for the sake of unity, peace and concord, we will cling with closer affection than ever to an esta- blished faith — an established form of ecclesiastical govern* ment— and an established order of Ministers. There — tinder siich a constitution of things, we shall seldom be presented with those deplorable instances of religious dis- sention and distracting passion — there we shall generally witness that settlement of principle and sobriety of deport- iiieht which so happily accords with the design and terfk dency of Christianity. ^ Hut, will it be said that no such baneful effacts resulted liouithe preaching of those holy men who wandered about tron city to city, and in the face of persecution and death ^ 1 answer that they were men endued with an extraorduiary inspiration of the Holy (^host, which, with the power of workin- miracles, gave them such an 'n- fluenceover mankind as none, not the most eloquent, not the most excellent can now hope for, or aspire to—and be- . sides, they ever manifested a calmness of temperament ' and a freedom from enthusiastic warmth widely different from that which we must attribute so much of the mis- chief produced by their itinerant and self-constituted auc- cessors. i5ut upon the cessation of miracles, so lething more, I contenu, was necessary for the preservation olf religious truth and practice than the casual instructions of itinerant and unlettered preachers whose tenets perhaps were as various as their numbers. Without a standing order of men to promulgate unceasinglv the truths of re- ligion— to repeat and continually to enforce the conditions of (he Kvangelical covenant— to bid mankind, by every dissuasive and encouragement, to * turn away from the wickedness which they have committed and to do that which is lawful and right'— then would all forms a.3 well as all the power of religion quickly disappear. The ef- fect of some sudden, occasional and passionate appeal, urged and aided by ferocity of look and vehemence of gesticulation, might strike with fearful impression upon many to whom it was addressed— it might suddenly call up their vagrant passions and concentrate them into the single feeling of admiration or affright— still would it want the ligitimate and permanent influence of those addresses which harmonize with the best sympathies of humanity, and awake, as it were, a spontaneous endeavour to < do the will of God from the heart.' 1 must pass over many angry and unjust remarks both on t.\\P mihiprf oC <^>i>* untlwtn'o ^.•.U:^..!/. ^^A — ii.~ -- tablished church in general, as totally irrcievaut to the C 1 68 motives wliich prompted my present efforts, and as not likely to produce any beneficial effect. I will but pause an instant on some invidious and absurd comparisons be- twixt the preachers of ids own sect and those of the church at which he so violently < shoots his pointless darts.' He asks if 2 or £S00 per annum be no inducement, no motive fur predchinj^ the gospel— and contrasts with that won- drous stimulant of religious zeal the humble pittance which they themselves receive for what he pronounces a sevenfold labour. 1 need scarcely ask the candid and the impartial whether such a remuneration is likely to prove the leading inducement with many who have oiider- taken this sacred office — whether they who have turned an eye of indifference upon all the aUurements of worldly ambition—who have foregone the high and dazzling pros- pects of wealth and reputation and power — who have abandoned the bright hopes of distinction and comfort which might have crowned their ])rogress in other pur- suit— 1 ask whether such can be charged with a love of lucre or emolument as their motive for cmbraciu"- and zealously persevering in the profession of a minister of CjUv'M? Are they whose labours are rewarded with that liumble slipend, less praiseworthy than those who have abandaneil the loon., the plough or the hatchet, for an oc- cupation which deraandsi less of that manual labour and bodily fatigue to which perhaps their birth and education would otherwise have doomed them? But Optat ephippia bos piger; optat ararc caballus. Will they who are accused of uttering dry discourses, and directly charged with an incapacity of ^ filling the pulpit,' suffer by comparison with those who enter upon the dif- ficult task of expounding the word of God without any acquirements of education or helps of genius? Will they who have trodden the enchanted paths of science— who can call up and combine the varieties of nature— who can search out and biiug fourth the treasured stores of philoso- phy to fortify and adorn the excellencies of reli2;ion— will they suffer by comparison with those who admk amongst their systematic studies in theology so strange a clasbifica- '"irrr '•"^'-'*^ f tion ns tliat of ' Murray's Grammar' and Morse's (Tco^-ra- pliy?' Why not annex to that dazzling catalo<:;ue ''the perhaps necessary appendages of the <;\\evv England Primer/ < Entick's Dictionary/ and the < Ready Reck- oner? Kut perhaps the very accomplishments of many of the established clergy expose them to those invidious remarks ---and lead to the bitter and false insinuation of their par- tiality for ^ ball and rout and cards and dice.^ Search— and with me, you will perhaps deny the fact—you will retract the hasty accusation— you will cease to say that their higher pursuits are interfered with by any undue or anxious attention to those relaxations and diversions.— Nor would I rank it amongst things flagrantly wicked or loudly condemnable, if they did occasifnially resort to the assemblages of the refined and intellectual-^to whose so- ciety their early habits may have attached them— to whose converse their attainments and pursuits would naturally direct them. 1 esteem it no crime in them to ad- here with some affection to the • endearing associations of early days'— which blend and entwine themselves with the kindest feelings of our nature ; and I deem it, at least, a pardonable error, if they cherish some fondness for the elegancies of polished society — if they cultivate, with a moderate care, those nameless delicacies and graces which may throw a charm over the mantle of piety, and add a lustre to the briglitness of religion. The accomplish- ments of learning and the graces of address may add an attraction to the force of truth, which it would not pos- sess in its nakedness — and it may be neither vain nor un- profitable to embellish the loveliness of religion and re- commend the beauties of holiness by all the exterior aids of literature and language. Remember it is human nature on which this influence is to be tried ; and human nature, from its very constitu- tion, will ever be impressed and captivated and won by the aids and ornaments which 1 have enumerated. What is addre^^HPfl to thp. iinHiJ>i>(jfan<^1ino* nnict mi'p'^ urce: tbey presumptuously lay claim to a heavertly aid and guidance, which is only firomised as a further- mice to ouv mxn good endeavours-nut as an arbitrary prevention of our wills—not as an extraordinary illumi- nation of our faculties— not as an irresistible movement of our feelings. In the age of miracles it was so-but the age ot miracles is over— and we cannot now without as- serting Its lestoraticm, pretend to any thing more of that lieavTHly and directing influence than what furthers and purifies Mijrown g.od intentions, and aids and affectuates our own pious efforts. Piety and goodness we shall ever respect, whatever be the siUialion or religious tenets of their professor. Low- liness otconditum cannot dim the intrinsic lustre of holi- ness ; and hnmility of ^^b can never aff'^cl the excel- lence of an inherent virtue. Even in the vi-WiMm, deno- mination oi which our Keviewer professes himseif ;. leader t I 1 l iik... ■i>feiii«itt>* ' <-. I t f we have seen much to commend— we have met xvffli h^ stances of exalted worth, and nnaffecte^pie^;!:^" vre have also witnessed too much to condemn If thev would inspire us with a sincere respect for their body geLTaTlv they must reform many prominent evils, and cS many striking blemishes. They must, if they luTd re move the prejudices, and command the'esteS.f the wile part of mankind, repress the shameful effects of faTat cism so deplorably visible amongst them rty mu^ check, and put an end to those ebullitions ofentlL^sm Z^^r't'' ''fT^ feeling, which are too o te tx hibited in their public assemblies. They mu«t cease to fan the fires of that delirious fervour wlW^i^ften Sows with such wildness amongst the assembled members of their sect-they must apply a healing hand to that sickli- ness of passion manifested in mad gesticulations, and in- coherent expressions~a blind impetuosity of feelina: and untempered extravagance of action, abhorrent to the sen- timents and feelings of the rational part of mankind-ccm- tradictory to that holy spirit, amongst the fruits of which are specia ly named * soberness, gentleness, meekness, tempei^nce -and unhappily similar to the religious mad! ness of Pagan worship ° — — Subtito non vultus, non color unus Non comptae mansere comoe: sed pectus anhelum Jiit rabie tera corda tument. If they would acquire our hearty esteem, and gain our un- feigned confidence, they must abolish their infamous camp mP.etinp-^tlmHii theatrical representations of re- ligious quixotism— those lamentable spectacles of relidous degradation. a""' ut mihi saepe Bilem, s«pe jocutn vestri movere tumultus ! There the grossest terms of earthly passion are addressed to the high and holy obj.cts of spiritual affection -there moral depravity is momentarily obscured by the prosti- tuted mantle of religion. Yes ! the learned, the wise, the delicate, the good, will turn with horror and dis-ust from meihouslu of religious association with them, who dili- ^^no-Sl. '0 common, ih'™;': "'«>-."'''« -re igt,;"'' fnougl, to countenance ^linrr'^' "'"' "*'<> «re ,vilpj filed reposc'lyet'i 'm""' '"'•«'""-'>«■■ onTnlT '?' '"at believed wp™ „f .' "^"^'' -"e ' ninl(i(,,j. „;""*• that anspiciourse 'o"/";"; ''•'"'.'■' '""' one sou "tr""? anti cone rl! . .""."'^'^''"stian union flnT„ •. ''. *'»» •' shone wTti, „l .''§'" '» 'isl'ten the filf?"'^ '* P''*' lostY; '*"?'. 'onguc, and nation in „ """''' "'o^" of .r ''3 "e Ignorant ire wicked unqualified 3 the higi, ^'^om your " ..your in- ^'ist in re. '•ail leave •^whore ft^know- '^ daring nvective. or ever ' unde- •c train- be rage lan to ifl the ' own ions/ tliem alas ! past ^hich •here e of use, ame lan- — ., imperfect and civil establishments. The glorious days of Constantine gave the fatal stroke to christian bands, ten ^e seamless coat of Christ, and almost orbed the Snn ef Kighteousness. l^rom that time to the present, which is iJffilr """'^^'PPtf ^1 reign of religious establishments, difference of opinion has begotten various sects, iars and conten ions have divided the christian world. Christian bloodshed has made infidelity triumph, and we are scarce ly left to tell the mournful tale.— Even w.herc the same common doctrines are received, the appendages with which they are surrounded, and the restrictions laid upon them by the secular arm, prevent us from bowing at the same altar, or worshipping in the same church. Thi-! is the time to exercise christian forbearance, the time to do -ood even to our enemies. For we all have our imperl ions and blemishes : and these should teach us to clieris.. that charity and tenderness towards others, which we in our turn require of them. And as we do not arrogate infalli- bihty to ouvHelves, it is possible that in some parts of that church of which I have the honour to be a member, there may be improprieties which ought to be reformed. For in the nature of things, that order and refinement, either in religion or education, cannot possibly be expected from those w ho never enjoyed the means of earl v relidous or lite rary instruction, which maybe found in tliose places which are blessed with such advantages. Men at first are chil dren m grace, as well as in science. There is the < blade ' the 'ear,' and the ' full corn in the ear.' When we arc children, we talk as children ; but when we become men we put away childish things. Let my learned antagonist visit those parts of the colony where Methodist societies are established, and other means of instruction enjoyed, and he will find religion and attainments which reide? them capable of acting an honourable part, not at ' ball and rout and cards and dice,' but in the society of the ' re- fined and intellectual.' And at those camp meetings, to which he manifests irreconcilable hostility, and concern- ing which he displays such a pitiable iffnorance. and %vhich he graciously styles < theatrical representations of I T . .-* „.,:,. i.i.;. 74 veligious quixotism, l.imcnfal)lc spoctacles oi'i'clinjioiip cleg- radutioii,' wliicli at one time, makes him jeer and at an- other rage, he will iiiid s^ittahle pprjons appointed to pre- vent improprieties oft,?'?)'// description^ iha worship of God conducted in a rationai, scriptural manner, and the plain and unaffected truths of reliciion, addressed to the- heart and consciences of men. He will not hear the Methodist preachers, in any of their ministrations, teach, that they * deem, at least, a pardonniV.' n'fW for a cler^y- man to cherish some fondness for the elesiancies of polish- ed society,' that is, for '\m\\ and rout and cards and dice,' when God has commanded his ministers to feed his lambs, lo visit the sick, to comfort the afllictci!, to relieve the fatherless and the widow, to reprove, rebuke, exhort in season and out of season, to be holy in all manner of con- versation, to avoid foolish talkinj; and jestini; which arc not convenient, not to be men pleasers, but examples to the flock. How does it sound in our ears to hear an ad- vocate for primitive institutions teach that the refinements above mentioned, < embellish the loveliness of religion,' and that those aids and ornaments are necessary to im- press its power upon the heart ? 'I'hc cross of Jesus has not charms sufficiently powerful. It requires the additi- tional embellishments and intelleclual refinement of » ball,' &c &c.! Who are the greatest enthusiasts, those who assort that * Chrii^'tU the power of God unto salvation to every one that believet!',' or those who prescribe the ad- ditional external aids or elegancie>^ of polished society, such as ^ ball and rout,' &c. to perpetuate the sacred im- ])ression of relisjious truth upon the soul ? — lam far from undervaluing education, or speaking lightly of refinement. 1 believe these to be the greatest eartldy blessings that we can possess. An education, especially a religious educa- tion, is worth nuMT than a pat rimony of thousands. But are these the energies by which the 'latent faculties of the- mind are opened to t'te charms of religicm ? I am of Dr. Chalmer's opinion, that as the *n'- simpiim to lay claim to a heavenbj aid and guidance, which is only promised as a further dnve to our own ^^oorf endeavours? "For it is the Holy C host (says the Homily) and no other thing, that doth quicken the mnids o^ men, stirring up Q;ood and trodhj motions in their hearts, which are agreeai3le to the will and com- mandment of God, such as otherwise of their own cvookQil ii\u\ perverse nature they should never have:' Here the Holy Ghost is declared' not merely to further our own good endeavours, but to be the moving cause of every good thought and action. The Homily goes much further than f he * enthusiastic' Methodists. It says, " where the Holy Ghost doth teach there is no delay at all in learning." There is an anecdote relat- ed, that * one silly soul, of no learning, did what ma- ny Bishops of great knowledge and learning could ne- ver brmg to pass, to confute a learned and sceptical philosopher, so that he could not choose but acknow- ledge that the power of God was in his words.' Is not this ' wholesome and godly doctrine ?' Perhaps the * silly soul had never seen either Murray's Grammar or Morse's Geography ; although for want of know- ing the former, the Hon. and Rev. Dr. Strachan be- trayed his ignorance one afternoon in a public lecture room, in analyzing a single sentence; and by not be- ing acquainted with the latter, a young gentleman who has lately entered into holy orders in the Church of England, very gravely asked one day, what country Kome was m ?— I suppose they were so busy in *tread- ing the enchanted paths of science— calling up and combiningthe varieties of nature— searching out and bringing forth the treasured stores of phylosophy,' that they could not descend to things so mean. Or perhaps they were just pondering upon * all the al- lurements of worldly ambition, on which they had turn- ed an eye of indifference— the high and dazzling pros- pects of wealth, reputation, and power? which they had '^SM 11 foregone—the bright liopes of distmction and comfort which might liave crowned their progress in other pur- suits, which they hud abandoned, *' such as that of a family school-master, the shop, &c. &c. Or possibly, they might have been sympathising with many of their brethren, who were supported by tiic benevolence of their friends till they could get a place among the apos- tolic priesthood. And if they had not succeeded in getting a situation there, it is pro])able they would have found an e»nuloyment almost as honourable as the '* bos piger vel caballus."— But as these are facts of notoriety, 1 shall with pleasure drop them, and turn to that part of the subject which first prompted my feeble efforts, namely, to dispute the exclusive claims of the lOstablishmcnt, and prove by different kinds of argument that the I>issenters have an Hjual right to exercise the functions of the ministry with their bre- thren who sit on their "high station of impregnable strength." I agree with my learned opponent,'that a public newspaper is not a proper medium for theolo- gical discussion ; nor had I any intention of publishing the Review through that medium, nor diiJ I know that it would be, till the types were nearly set. Bnt I am now happy that it has come before the public at large, that they may judge of the justice of those claims. Tor which the Dissenters in this Colony have asked, but asked in vain for many years. My antagonist very frankly avows his opinion, that; " bishops atone are constituted and perpetuated by A- postolic appohilment to be empowered to confer those sacred functions upon others.^' If this opinion be cor- rect, all the protesta "t churches of Scotland, France, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Denmark, are destitute of any legitimate right to fdl the functions of the Ministry. They are all intru- ders into God's vineyard — they have gone forth w hen he has not commanded nor empowered them to go. — For Xhm ordiimtiou was derived from Luther Calvin, } >:■ 87 Melaiicthon, Bucer, iSic. who were iiothinf? but prest)y- ters. And in some of those countries, where they have what they call Bishops or Superintendants, they are, like the Methodist Bishops, oi\\y primi inter pares,— But to return to the law and the testimony. My anta- gonist says that a knowledge of the original tongue of The New Testament, would not a little aid the convic- tion, that though a Bishop be a Presbyter, every pres- byter, or elder, is not a Bishof). I can inform him,that so far from despising- the original tongue of the New Testament as l^.e falsely insinuated, that I am acquaint- ed with it ; but my conviction is by no means aided with regard to the dissimilarity of the offices of bishop, and elder, or presbyter. For the term elder {presbu- ieros) m the New Testament is a general name, com- prehending under it all such as have any ecclesiastical functions, as apostles, pastors, teachers, or other chuich officers ; — And the name overseer or bishop (epmopos) is apphed by the LXX to officers of the ar- iny_tiie sanctuary — ordinary workmen, ^'C. as well as to officers of the church. In contradiction to what my opponent said that presbyters were not bishops, the same persons that St. Paul calls in Acts xx. 17, elders, he calls in verse 28, bishops. And are we to infer more than two orders from the following scrip- ture? "Paul ^'c. to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Phiiippi, with the bishys and deacons:' If there were a third order of church officers,would not the Apostle have addressed them as well as the other two? As I showed the office of Timothy in the re- View it is not necessary for me to touch on it again in this place. My antagoniat next refers to the fathers. I answer, the fathers are no authority for us. They were not inspired nor appointed to make up any deficiencies of the Nt'w Testament, which is the only legitimate stand- ard of christian faith and practice. But let us see for a oaomeiU what victory he has acluevtjd by referring to 4 prest)y- ey have iey are, ares, — Ly anta- iigue of convic- ry pres- iim,that lie New ^quaint- is aided bishop, [presbu- e, coni- siastical V oilier bishop fthe ar- as well to what bishops, XX. 17, e we to Of scrip- st Jesus eacotisJ** ould not le other the re- again in answer, t^ere not ncies of re stand- 4 see for erriiig to t the i\ithers. He first directs us to Clement of Rome, ind ftAn I* f "^M "'"'''"''^"" fV^'^^'^^^^ a-part of which re- late to the Mosaic prieslho(»d, he infers an analo-v he- ween the Jewish clinrch officers, and those of the'chrs- tian church—An infered analoi^^y is a very s\u'Lh\l on whicli to found arostolic institutions and^.ra ? ces T e Ingh priest in the Jewish church, was a ype S'jesus C hnst l.e gre^t high priest who otTered sacHtL once for all, and not of the bishop of the Church of En^la J Vn when the great antitype came, of course the slnidow was menl ''''^' '" '" ^'''^''' ^'''''''''^^ ^^'"^» ^^ ^k! In the next chapter to that from which my opponent drew his inferred analogy, St. Clement wri(es\..l'rihnvs 1 he apo.t es thus preaching through countries ami cities, hey appointed the iirst fruits of their conversions to 1'e bishops and immsters over such as should afterwards be-^ iieve, having first pruned them by the spirit Nor Wis this any netc thw^', seeing that long hefore it w«s written concerning bishops and deacons : for thus saith the Serin ures 1,1 certain places, (Isa. Ix. I7.) ^ 1 will appoint their overseers m righteons!,ess and their mhmfers in truMi ' In chap. liii. he says, ' let the flock of Christ he in peace with the ./rf.r. wh^ch are set over it.' And in chanter Ivi he says ^submit yourselves unto your ministers.'-! ask my learned antagonist what sanity there is in St. Cle- ment s vnitings If there were more d.an two orders of church officers ? It is prol,able that the contentions this apostolic lather was trying to quell, were a strife for mod- ern Episcopacy, which explains the lordly langua-e of I-. natius who tlourislied a few years afterwards. ^^ It i'\ shame,' says St. Clement, * my beloved, that the most firm and ancient church of the Corinthians should by one or two persons (I suppose one or the other, or both, wan- stel^"'*'^ led into a sedition against its mini^ W^ are next saluted with Ignatius, so precious in the ejesofKpiscopalians. Not to notice that a part of his . >nuinssisrejecteaUysomc of the most Icamed divines. T so as spurious, I observe that lie wrote after all the Apostles were dead, and pastors began to get in high repute. The whole theme of Ignatius is, submission to the bishop, and he does this in terms so high, that the most zealous epis copailans confess them scarcely defensible. The follow- ing is his language. ' He that honours the bishop shall be honored of God. He who does any thing without the bishop tninisters to the devil. The more silent* a man finds the bishop, the more le-t him reverence him* We should regard the bishop as we would God hiintseJJV Will my opponent defend ihis Inngunge ? " ir (says Cambell) • like the Nazeanzen monk, cele- brated by Gregory, the bishop sliould in praise of God, devote his tongue to an invir ii«! fiftho.e principles which arQ tUcrciu contamed. —mtlioaist Vrcachtrs Review. 4 ■'!'! i' ^ 83 talents and literary attainments of her Clerffv.* His pretensions also on belialf of his o\irn sect, to the me- rit of laborious and disinterested zeal ; are calculated to prepossess iu his favour every man who has not heen instructed by experience to hold his judgment m suspense over an alluring title, or an in-enious preface. *i, IVJ'^ '■^'''T ^.^^^''^ "^' *^ ^« -^»^h to be lamented that these professions and some others, which candour would fam have attributed to a warmth of cliristian teeling, have been employed to give colourins and plausibihty to a most inconsistent and uncharitable at- tack on our ecclesiastical polity, to deprecate its es- tabhshment m this colony, and to influence the minds ot people again, t any proposal of this kind as fraught with dano:er to their spiritual and political interests. it would be too much to follow this discursive wri- ter through all his specious misrepresentations; in making which, he lilts from one point to another like an Ignis fatuus, recommencing the discussion of a sub- ject at the moment he professes to have quitted it : in tiie middle of some topic, which he has pounced upon, suddenly turning back to gather up a thought which had before escaped him, or starting aside from his ar- gument to cast invective and reproach on a clero-y- man whose absence precludes his rejoinder. To per- Ksons habituated to study and reflection, or conversant with the subjects of which the Reviewer professes to treat, no danger can be apprehended from this per- formance ; but to that valuable part of the communi- ty whose time is principally occupied with the active employments of life, and who might be apt to suppose that these rm\i ,^ against our venerable church estab- hshment weie fniths unwillingly exported from anin- »■ g^nious mind, desirous at the same time of placing her tf^ r*t^' \ ^^^} ?" ''"Pos'*'ou to derogate from the luminaries of the Church ^, o! r^nglanu that resoftrt smi ..v.j.;«.. t,^ wh;/.!, ♦i,.^:,. „.i,.^».. „...i i:. \F O tn _ - --" "■• ■"•'j-"o.,,uu lu uciuf^rtic uoin ine lummaries oi tne Unurc ^ i^.^gland that respect aud praise to which their talents aud literary a amiseTits give thera aa uudisputtd right."— :>/e//tt;(m-f Pixwhra Mmei at- iew- 84 i« ih^ fairest point of view which truth and rehg.on wi 1 *"j •. ,!f ».>?h the effect must be extremely pernici- admit-to such the ene ^^^^^ disponed n:i«: and it IS lOr ttlC hdKc ui \j wU^:« K«i«rr ous ; and •' '^'''"^^.iX.rand t^ p7e"ve.,t their bein... FeTaw:; nt'o'err" uS ihe guJ of simplicity that IhefXwfug remarks on the Methodist Preachers '''^^H::^:t-o're^'<^^^o.'' as he "wishes it to be distinctly understood on the doctrines, hturgy, or Am- aisuncuy """= , „ . Reviewer immediately com- plme, of our church, he 1™^ , .recession of our SXps^wh ht°" "LTom paying that servile ho- So*! deputed documents of history asjoacknow- Mee !" But the scepticism professed by the Me- thof St Preacher in whatever degree it may be che- rished is no ars^.anent against the truth of the evidence camble of bein^ advanced to establish the validity of 3 FDiscomte and its descent by uninterrupted suc- cessbSfromaposolical authority, which upon admis- S of the eeneral rules of historic testimony cannot reasoS be questioned. It is very plain that thus milv can a lawful Episcopate be derived ; for as a layman cannot ordaiL deacon, "or deacons a pres bvter, so neither can presbyters "'J'^'" °™^^;" * o hUhnn —since an apostle affirms as the opposite lo Lvst'h rue "Without all contradiction, tfie less is bLssed of the better."-Heb. vii. '• „f ° 3;,"J,1: fhU are the Methodists themselves, (or I should ratnei ^ were those among them,, who Arf -rotated die fehriiffprb; eVofrch^^^^^^^^ ; liTslltheSy.said »-, . oke and Asbury o - fered to relinguish their pretensions •« \h*^ holy d gn. tv and to acknowledge the invalidity of their existnig ftles,i on these ter^is they could have ob,a,„edhg.- tmate consecration from the American l'ls^>ops^ who j^ succession is derived through the medium of Ihe «h">^n If I J 311 will ernici- ipo^ed beinj;; y, that icher's to be r disci' y com- of our v^ile ho- cknoiv- le Me- )e che- i'idence idity of ed suc- admis- cannot lat thus or as a a pres- isecrate osite to less is inced of d rather ited the J. Wes- ;land) — bury of- iy digni- existing [lied ligi- s, whose e church Lethodist T I of a church accordiug to that F»l! u •^""f""""'" V ewer has quoted s*^ l^^f J/''''"™ /^e Re- Bishop of CaithiD-p ,.,(,„ ''"S'""0"s'y,_,st. Cypnaii, pre-eminence nf^l,v- ^'■^■"'^ously maintained the ^therTfsone bi hoD'^lbr^r',""'''''''"-^ ^'^"^"'"^ that one for thrtime wTo^k w/h"" ' ''I'' "'',"'^''» ^^urch; From the imerlhanieafwl '" f'^^P''"^^ of Christ." pos, bishop or over eer L 7f *' '"""' ^l'^'"- elder inH nLi. f ' ^^<'^buteros, presbyter or TeSmem hththT' ''""n " Z """^ter^n th^e !\e^ were not aJ fct ex .-^tvll ^ r "!"''' f?"- ^ese terms fices which the v,r.o^r^''^PP'"^,'' '» 'he distinct of- Eeviewe a Ss that tK"^™!'^ designated) the power andtnfh^n.; i! . ''"* '""en no distinction of ly plaVfrom the o 'casron/ '^- '''^f '^ ^"*«<=''^'^*- -faul and Apollos no more th-'u Dpirnnc ^ «« autIorityt':;.te Dr.:h'r ''•««"'= from, and having ly from theAn; fiP •^^'^''^'1'"' derived immediate- tamen^in .1. P "*'•" ''^cosnized by the New Tes &Vn, !• "? ^"^''^ °f Timothy and Thul- and AnXl ' L- ^"fficiently attested by liistory Prtt^t'S^led tlh'e'^ "^"'"^ the' Wst of England wkhthlt..! '=''."''*'"°" <" «he Church ventitfournn, It *''''te-a Circumstance purely ad- Ir™"""."' „""•' ''y "0 n'eans necessary to Lr L'X -<«> «t-is n-ecjumly and industnously mis-epresent- ^^^AS 8G .d By virtue of this connection, her proceedings haVedfe desirable sanction of the ^f^^'^^;^^^^^^ rities The King as the representative of tliese, (or rau'er in our admirable constitution as the source of Ihem) exerci ing a controul over her temporal affairs We exclusiorrofthe papal see, is declared U,b^^^^^^^^ TiPnd of the church ; but in no sense is this title assum- ed or pleaded for, at variance uith that spiritua su- Ima^cy'vhlchbdongs to Christ fone and m which he only is acknowledged as Head and Lord ; on this W the 37th article is very explicit. Our church has L^ nue^^^^^^^ exist when de ^ed of this teniporal head, and we trust will continue to do so should l^^ine pro- vidence ever permit the like prmciples agam to get the ascendency. With respect to the revenues of the higher orders of her clergy, they are egregiously over stated by the Methodist Preacher, a«d are m general much less than what the persons ^yho fill her various Tmiks might probably attain by their talents and exex- tionsin aiiY other pursuit, so that a very Jew instances excepted, the church oilers the most positive reverse of any temptation to covetousness or ambition. The piety of our forefathers has indeed made a pro- vision for the clergy in England, by a charge npon the produce of the land, which whatever may be pretend- ed, ought not in the present day to be telt as a bur- then by any one. Were the farmer released from the payment of tythes, his rent would be proportionably iticreased, and he would find new ground of complaint in the exactness with wliich it would then be requisite to pay a charge in the shape of rent, which in that o. tythes he now often finds the means of partially evad- ing. But ti.is is a question with which the mhabitants of Canada have nothing to do whatever ; "^ intention exists of imposing on them a burthen even ot that des- cription which the Romanists in the Lower province discharge without murmuring. It is the disinterested character of the parent State— parental not only m 9Ah 87 ihority which slic assumes, but in the mild and affect- ionate spirit in which she exercises it, to relieve her children in this part ofthe empire almost entirely from the charge of religious instruction, affording such sti- pends to the clergy as are in general sufficient to raise them above the need of eleemosynary contribution, while yet, those who are gra'eful for their mhnstrati- ons, cannot feel it needless to contribute .^till further to their comfort ;— a residence for the IMissionaiy be- ing in general all that is absolutely required. As an ultimate provision for the clergy, one seventh of the lands granted by the cro*vn are* held in reseivafion, but the advantages of this grant (at ])reseiit very small) have hitherto been appropriated to relieve the inhab- itants by assisting them in building the residences needliil for their clergy. The efforts of Dissenters of various sects to get a share of this reversionary advan- tage, and to obtain the countenance of civil authority for their proceedings, shews in what light they really view the connection between church and state, and renders it pretty evident that the distauiie at which the grapes are suspended above reach, is the onlv cause of their appearing green and sour. Kingly Govern- ment as it had its origin in the respect paid to heads of families in patriarchal times, so its greatest praise is to perpetuate the spirit ofthe relationsliip in which it commenced. It is not unfrequently that British Sove- reigns have been styled the fathers of their people,aii epithet which may with peculiar emphasis be appro- priated to his present Majesty, whose paternal care for the religious instruction of the important tamily w hich he governs, and the Colonies in particular has been eminently and most judiciously displayed. Nor is the \yill ofthe Sovereign alone which sanctions the expediency of an established system of religious in- struction, the need of such a provision is asserted by the best writers on political economy, and the princi- piC iirto i'or ages been recognised by the iiiititoii Con- I f 88 fltitution. Religion, if inculcated at all however, must be inculcated according to some form, which it is the office of parental authority to choose. What form so proper then as that \vhich has stood the test of ages, has proved itself the bulwark of Protestanism, and has nurtured some of the highest ornaments of the church and of the world ? These are the principles on which a religious estab- lishment is to be desired for Canada, and not for the sake of power or gold, as is wickedly insinuated by the Methodist Preacher. The thought of introducing a system precisely similar in all its ramifications to that which successive or c )mbined events have been the means of establishing in England, is not entertain- ed. All the support which the State expects to de- rive from it can arise only from the advancment of re- ligion and morals, from men becoming better acquaint- ed with their duty, and more disposeci to practice it, and not certainly that those precepts should be ne- glected and forgotten, by which they are instructed to ''render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's," to give " honour to whom honour is due," to ** fear God and honour the King." Whether or not it is any evil that a christian and protestant Government should make provision for the religious instruction of a people, leaving them entire- ly free from the least restraint or coercion, to the pro- bable influence of its sublime moral precepts— whe- ther, I say, any injury is done, or any insult commit- ted by the unexpensive offer of this boon, let common sense judge. Nothing is more displeasing to the great enemy of mankind, than pious philanthrophy on such a scale as this. When a state countenances re- ligion in ail orthodox and established form, and at the same time opposes and persecutes it in none, he ha sg reat reason to tremble for the ultimate preserva- tion of his own ascendency, and will claim as he did f ?u '_ '! ^^^ kingdoms of th^. earth and the glory 01 thcuV as beioiiguig to hiiri aione, falsely asserting f ■a'^^Waj 'iViiifciiw'iMi .# w t f 66 tb-^t to whomsoever he will he gives them, and depre- cating above all things their alliance with true religion. But we know who has instructed us to treat these pre- nrctensions with disregard, and to rejoice in the pro- j)hetic declaration. whi( h assures us that the kingdom of this world are lae designed Empireof our Lord and of his Christ. Religion where it is duly cherished has an influence the most |. netrating ; and that man does not deserve the nMine of a christian who, whatever station he may fill, denies its influence in his character and relation- ships. Hence, as a master, as a father, as a senator, or as a prince, a chi tian cannot but desire that the benign influence of uie religion which he professes should, by means of a correct act^uniniance with its doctrines, and the continual enforcement of its pre- cepts, be communicated to all, over whom his inlluence extends, and it argues a ran' ling spirit of enmity to religion, the most bitter, when, however plausible the pretence, any disUke is manifested to its receiving the sanction of authorities such as these. They who have succeeded in evangelizing barba- rous nations, never did so by underrating, much less by refusing assistance of this kind, it was only anti- christian rulers setting in direct opposition to Christi- anity, whom they ventured to set at defiance, ever de- sirous at the same time to win them over to the faith of Christ, and to the obedience of that faith. To these cursory observations on the validity of our Episcopal succession, and the importance of a re- ligious establishment in a christian land, many other remarks might be subjoined on the less prominent fea- tures of this review. It may suffice, however, to no- tice that the charge of intermeddling with legislative affairs comes with a peculiarly bad grace fron^ a ' Me- thodist Preacher,' when more than one person claim- ing this distinction are Members of the House of As- sembly, and it is known that great efforts are used to IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^f fm / 1.0 I.I us 2.2 Ufi 2.0 1.8 l« Mb 1.4 .« 6" — ^ ► % v. ^. 7 ^ >^ /& Photographic Sciences Ccrporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) C73-4503 ©tieugUien llie iniluence of their sect in tliis branch of the legislature. It must also be observed, that the pathetic hairangue of the Methodist Preacher at the close of his Keview proceeds upon a supposition, which I may ven- ture to state is entirely mistaken, vjz. that it could be the intention of Dr. Strachan to repiMliate the loyalty of every man who is not openly attached to our creed. The Re- viewer is here, therefore, beating a man of straw, manu- factured by his own imagination. I^et us liope that every teacher of his sect will remember tlie ])ositive disavowal which is made by their champion of insinuating republican doctrines even indirectly along with the professed instruc- tions of religion. It is not my desire to i)rovoke controversy and it will therefore be very unwillingly if 1 should be obliged to continue this discussion. Other duties demand unceasing attention, and these must be my apology for having omit- ted to notice so much which admits of easy refutati(m. 1 am, Mr. Editor, Your Obedt. Servt. A CLERGYMAN. BrockmiUy 2d June, 1826. FOR THE UPPER CANADA HERALD. Mr. Editor — I intended to have solicited your indul- gence for the insertion of the following article a week sooner ; but being unexpectedly required to take a jour- ney ofnearly three hundred miles, I have been compelled to defer it till the present. I now humbly request its inser- tion in your valuable paper. — Since I wrote my last es- say, I have received another reply through the Brock- ville Recorder, written by a clergyman. — As there is such admirable harmony in the faith of my numerous ad- versaries respecting Establishments, I cannot deny my- self the pleasure of edifying the public by bringing them forward in one view. I shall therefore, confine my pre- sent remarks to the subject of the former article, viz. to the ordination and succession of bishops. My Reverend Friend, whose apparent candour and i^ 91 I good sense is worthy of the highest praise, severely re* probates me for making plausible pretensions, " to give colouring and plausibihty to a most inconsistent and un- charitable attack on the Church of England polity and establishment." I shall not pretend to charge him with misrepresentation ; but he certainly misunderstood my language. I say now, as 1 said then, that I mean no reflection on the doctrines," liturgy, or discipline of the Church of England. But does this imply that I am bound to them by the authority of a dwine law ; and make them supercede the necessity of the holy scrips tures, as the Doctor did in the fanciiul display of his ma- gic powers ? Or could any one possibly suppose that I would not object to the discipline of die Church of Eng- land, or rather to the sentiments of die Doctor and some of his followers so far as they are exclusive 7 It was on the unscriptural and abusive sentiments of the Doctor that I made my strictures, and I am bold to say that a part of his sermon is a miserable compound of misrepre- sentation and slander. So true is it that not one of my opposers has attempted to defend it ; but they have quite changed the scene of controversy. I am hailed on all sides for publishing the Review during the Doctor's ab- sence. To this I shall only say that the Doctor's Ser- mon did not appear till the week before he left the colo- ny for England. (Public opinion says he took an abun- dant suppfy of his sermons with him, together with the addresses to his Excellency, to show the Lords and Commons of England what wretched creatures the "■ fac- tious demagogues," and republican dissenters of this Pro- vince are.) The scriptures require speed in giving the alarm. (Ex. xxxiii, 6, 10.) Why did not Tom Paine call some of his opponents to order who had the hardi- hood to write against him, not only when he was ab- sent, but even when he was dead ?! My learned friend gives us the old tale respecting the superiority of bishops to presbyters ; and as proof of It he graciously presents us with his dictum. How o\> erwhelming such argument! I really wish that some ot my opponents would give us something from Timothy and Titus, to whom they so often refer, by which we might be convinced that those eminent servants ot Crod, were indeed bishops in the modem acceptation ot the term.—The only testimony, to prove that Paul ordain- ed Timothy, is inferred from II. Tim. 1 , 6. The apos- tle says nothing here about ordination. Peter and J ohn laid hands, in the same manner, on the disciples ot ha- maria, and they received the Holy Ghost, (^cts, viii»^ 14, 17.) So did Paul to the disciples of Ephesus, and Mcy received the Holy Ghost. ( Acts, xix, 6.) Were ^1 these christians, by this ordinance, translated to the A- piscopal Seel Why were they not bishops as much as Timothy '»— Let some of my opponents explain tne tol- lowing passage. " Neglect not the gift that is m thee which was given thee by prophesy with the laying on ot the hands of the presbytery.'' (1. Tim. iv, 14.) If Tim- othy was ordained by the presbytery, how came he vest- ed with a higher degree of ecclesiastical authority than those from whom he received it 1 « For without contro- versy," says my Reverend antagonist, " the less is bles- sed of the better." Timothy was ordained either by St. Paul, or by the Presbytery. If by the presbytery, how did he become diocesan bishop 1 If he was ordained by St. Paul, why was he again ordained by the presbytery 7 But even St, Paul's ordination could not be legal according to the canons of my opponent's church. For it is there affirmed, that though a bishop and presbyter may con- secrate a presbyter, yet it requires three Bishops to con- fer Episcopal authority. Then according to this doc- trine, Timothy would be nothing more than a presbyter or evangelist. And this presbyterian link spoils the whole chain of the Church of England apostolic Episco- pacy.— Let my opponents show us their scriptural dio- cesan episcopacy, and let them ^ive us the scriptural pro. 98 totypes of their archbishops, archdeacons, deans, proc- tors, surrogates, prebends, chancellors, &c. &c. I shall now give the opinions of some of the most learn- ed and most successful defenders of the Church of Eng- land on this point, and see how they accord with the wise sayings of some of the " bold and unblushing" pre- tenders in this colony. " The apostles left no command," says the Rev. Thos. Gisborne, « which rendered episco- wj P^cy universally indispensable in future times, if other forms should evidently promise, through local opinions and circumstances, greater benefit to religion." Gis- borne's Survey, p. 497. Bishop Pretyman, in his Ele- ments of Christian Theology, speaks more fully to the point. " Ad it has not pleased our Almighty Father," says he, * to prescribe any particular, form of civil go- vernment for the security of temporal comforts to his rational creatures, so neither has he prescribed any par- ticular form of ecclesiastical polity, as absolutely neces- sary to the attainment of eternal happiness. The scrip- tures do no prescribe any particular form of church gov- ernment." Vol. II. p. 396. The following is the tes- timony of the learned Dr. Paley, Moral Phil. p. 443. " It cannot be proved," he affirms, " that any form of church government was laid down in the Christian, as it had been in the Jewish Scriptures, with a view of fix- ing a constitution for succeeding ages ; and which consti- tution consequently, the disciples of Christianity would every where and at all times, by the very law of their re- ligion, be obliged to adopt. Certainly^no command for this purpose was delivered by Christ himself; and if it be shown that the apostles ordained bishops and presbyters among their first converts, it must be remembered that deacons also and deaconesses were appointed by them, with functions very dissimilar from any which obtain in the Church at present." To the testimony of these three witnesses, I might add the names of Burnet, Stillingfleet, Usher, &.c. &c. did my limits permit. Now Mr.Edit- M 94 11 , 1,. ili« plain letter of scripture, and o^, it is for -^"'•r"»S;'; \'^i e aWo divine-s on this sub- Hdoptrngtheopmu™ oMh ^^^^^^ epithets ol a ject, that 1 am ^f^'^Yy';-d a stupid Beotian, an igno- i a worthy disciple of Zo lu^, a suip. ramus, an infidel, legion, &c. &c. IK ^J^^^^^^^ I retort. But according to M on, "c ^ ^^^^ raised a t---^"- jf^^i^^fd li' Mow 'angels and he was driven by ftUctiac ai ^^^^jj therefore we are not «»n' «>-^ *at .im la. .^ ^^^^^ be used on like occasions, l^kiwcontemi _^^^ conduct! It ««Sl>V°Ch-i an -But to retv^n :-From blushed r.t by every Chu.tian. c ^j^^ ap- „hence then do our oppo^en s gel he., p^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ostolical episcopacy 1 ^»^>' °'^;' seripts amid contra- of musty and strangely ^;^' t"-^" •^^"^'^^<=J f than the Cictory test.mon.es^ ^^Vohtgher authority than the m,j ^^f-^^,^^^ diocesan episcopacy uni- word ot God !— A'lowi :, yftheaposdes, (which versally obtained after the ^/.«' ^J ^ ^.^ aposto-_ 1 am far from doing) does tp^ P'^™ , opinions of ic, or that we must obsequiously adop^ the op^^^^^^^, the ancient Fathers '» °' « e^P'-^'' ^^^'^ „,tio„s, that I The ancient Fathers '=n'"''""7^„!^„.fself feel dispos- presume, ..either .nyoppon .us no mj^s^^.^^,^^^ '^ '°-'tS i no receive their political opinions'. ^^„rfav:';?.e ^HvSio: of Aristotle because it was popular at tliat time , ...„unt of the first 1 might here f^^Z:"^^^^^^'""^ «'*"? "^«eCbut itaTde'L doing it at present ^tiUrend oppor^ jnfid.^ « Episcopate, and itb descent ^y ^m ^ admission oly be questioned." " It is veiy plain," he say. •' tliai thus only can a lawful Episcopate be derived '^" .lissenters of every description from any rio-ht to eK^ cise the functions of the Minist.y. All thatevcM- have been or are baptized by them, are yet unSzed- thev are [accordmg to the Church of EngIand,]Cwor thyo^- a christian burial, and those that have thus lied r-ocnn sequently damned ! .--This is the liCal 4 i ch -1^1; feeling of the learnad divines of the nineteenth cent ,t m whom are hid all the " treasured storef of SloCh J' &.C &c. From such liberality, good Lord deliveTus ' I hope my Rev Friend will define his rules of " historic testimony," and give us that " unquestionable testimony" which proves the unbroken succession of his Ep s~ The apos le says " prcwe all things." If my learned on- ponent will prove this, he will exhibit a phenonenon which has never yet appeared in the historicarworld He savs"! hv ""^f '4 ^"'"'u'"^ "PPoncnts on this point.- He says tha. "the Romish succession is as muddy as the Tyber itself. For here," he adds, " Tertullian Ruffiniis and severa others, place Clement neS to sfpe "' ' Ireneus and Eusebius set Anaeletus before him : Epinh-' an,, s and Optatus, both Anaeletus and Cletus, aS- nus and Damascus with others make Anaeletus, cTet s and Linus, all to precede Clement." This is the hW rmth of uncertainty and contradiction, in wl ch we a^ mvolv^d at the very fountain head of apostoi" sucoes i! on.-V/hat must be our uncertainty as we advance To prove an unbroken succession, my opponents must Drove the legal ordination of each individual bishop aecoK u^ncorrumed" tlUh" '''""T''' '"" *=" ""^ » "f'-S 's n^.^/T 1 ■ -^'^ T'' ""^^ °n " testimony that can not easi y be questioned." For if they fail of Ll proof of Z rh„l!l '"■' ""1'""";'^'''* ■*' once.-The canons 01 the Church annul the ordination of a Bishop, who is -sw nsmmmm iii AiiUv of simony. This is confirmed by scripture.- (Acts, Vlll 18 21) Dr. Jorton informs us that « m the elev^ enth'renturv simony was universally practised, particu- larlv in Italy." And another author, speakmg on the same subject, says that " it was easier to convert a Jew than a Bishop." Was the Holy Ghost communicated through Bishops by whom simony was mwersally prac- tised" Pope John XII. was expelled from the see of Rome, by a council held at Ronie in the year 963, or - simony, sacrilege, adultery, and for drinking a heal h of wine to the devil." In a short time he was restored ; soon after his restoration, being caught in an improper sit- uation with another man's wife, hjs ho iness was dispatch- ed bv the enra-ed husband, who dashed out his brains. Two eminent Romish historians, Baronms and Binius, make this John [in opposition to Leo] the true Pope.- Now this infidel, simonist, drunkard, adulterer, rnurderer; this worshipper of idols and devils, is Chrtst s Vicar, is fil- led with the Holy Ghost, damns who he pleases, and is the only medium of apostolic authority ! ! ! All this must be believed to make episcopal succession unbroken.— To touch a moment on the Church of England ; she is schismatical in separating from the Church of Rome, or she is not. If the Church of Rome be a true Chufch, it must be schism to secede from her. The schismatics, of course, must loose her spirit and authority. It he Romish Church be an Anti- Christian Church, [as the Homily declares] how could she possess the authority derived from Christ 1 Either supposition turns the stream of unbroken succession from my opponent s Church.— These are only a few hints on the " unquestionable tes- timony of unbroken succession." If necessary, 1 will dive deeper into this muddy ' stream' m some future es- say. Let my opponents remove these jams first. How ridiculous are such pretensions ?— How shame- nil and unchristian are the exclusive claims ot the estaD- lishment! If dissenters have no right to administer me -^ •7 ordinarces, England both in church and state, was rC* centiy governed by heathens. Archbishop Seeker was ordained by a dissenting minister, who never received episcopal ordination. This Archbishop baptized His Majesty and most of the Royal Family. [Eel. Rev. Vol. 6. p. 368.] Now according to my opponent's logic, See- ker's ministrations were imposture, and ecclesiastical and political England was governed by infidels. A Christian nation with infidel heads ! ! " Suppose," said an English Divine, " that such a system of exclusive claims and legislative support were acted upon by any other craft than priest craft, what woufd be the consequence ? Suppose, for instance, the tailors ; these fiimble-fingered gentlemen form themselves into a corp( rate body, and no one is allowed to make a pair of new breeches, or stop a hole in a pair of old ones, wha has not served an apprenticeship to the trade, and beett duly initiated into the order by a master tailor, with the ceremojiy of putting a thimble upon his finger, and a goose in his hind. Every parish is provided with one of these state tedlorSi and obliged to support him in a genteel style, to keep up the credit and respectability , buiit on mankind's unstable witt/^* Another roinidly affirms, ♦< Every man among us maintains his privilege to unsliackled freedom of Judgment in matters religious." One, in the lofty exhibition of his theologic al research, confidently assures us, that *' a christian nation ivfthout a religious establishment, is a contradiction." — Another, with equal gravity, declares that " a religious establishment is a circumstance purely adventitiouSf and by no means necessary to the existence of the church/' and at the same time hotly quarrels with the Reviewer, because he (the Heviewer) disputed the truth of the Doc- tor's assertion. — The Brockville clergyman sincerely tells us that the authority of the King, as head of the church, is in no sense at variance with that spiritual supre- macy which belongs to Chrigt o/omp ;"--the Kingston gentleman, with equal assurance, aflBrms that the " R'ing or Queen may forbid the exercise of that aacred commia- Bion derived from Christ." Happy Canada! the unfath- omable research of thy sage philosophers brighten the constellations of literature — the dazzling splendour of thy biblical light illuminates the darkest shades of thy un- cultivated wilds~and the united voice of thy command- ing oracles harmonizes the grating sound of discord — coalesces the diversity of sentiment — opens the contrac- ted mind of the ignorant — and points out a path so clear, Slain and straight that even a novice cannot err therein ! Ir. Editor, lost in the vision of amazement, I attempt almost in vain to return to the subject under consideration. Whence this contradiction of sentiment — this variance of opinion? Surely not in (he word of God — nor in iht principles of morality, nor in the doctrines of the church of England. Does it not prove one of two things ? Mj antagonists are either unacquainted with the constitution of their own church, or they have assumed a wrong po- sition. I apprehend both. For 1st, the right of private judgment is essential to an accountable being. For we are accountable to God for our actions as individuals— 2d. Cor. V. 10; 1st Kings, viii, 3S; Isa. iij. 10, 11; Col. 101 I i- irti. S4<, S6 ; Ez. xviii, SO.— Sd, That a religious eita- blisliQient in esflential to a cliristian iintion, or that any othor pnivision U nt'cessary for the support of the clergy, than that provided by apostolic institutiousy is contradic* ted hy experience. For more than three centuries, the church continued to jprosppr, not only without any provision by civil enact- ments) but when she was strongly opposed by ("ivil pow- ers. Witness the prosperity of religion and literature ia those countries where religious estahlishments are not countenanced Also the vast and increaHing numbers^ learning, ability, and usefulness of dissenters of various kind'^, in almost every part of the British Empire. 3d. That a religious establishGient is essential to a christian nation is also denied by Dr. Paley, wh«» says, <* a religious estabrmhment is no part of Christianity." So say Gisherne, W hitegift, Pretyman, andStillingfleet. Hut the testimony of my opponents, carries its own confutation; if we consider it in the light of a matter of fact. Dr. Strachan declares that a christian nation < without a religious estalishment is a contradiction'^ The Brock- ville clergyman denies it. The Kingston gentleman for- bids the freedom of man's unstable will in religious mat- ters. His learned predecessor announces that < every man among us maintains his privilege to unshaken freedom of judgment in matters religious,' Two contradictory propositions cannot be true at the same time. — Such are the harmonious sentiments of these chun^h members, who our Ur. assures us < are never divided by a variety of o- pinions.' However, that their arguments* may appear in their true light, and have their full force on the reader's mind, I will reduce them to the simple syllogistic form. I. [1] ' A christian nation without a religious establsh- ment is a contradiction,^ [3] * The establishment is a circumstance purely ad* ventitiouSf and is by no means necessary to the existence f){ the church.' 102 (3) TTterefore—Enghnd ought to pay more than 1,108,000 pounds per annum to support a religious es- tablishment. II. (l)«The church of Christ shall not be built on mankind's unstable wilL^' (2) « Every man among us maintains his privilege to unshackled freedom of judgment in matters religious." (3) Therefore— the King and Parliament ought to make laws to prevent us from changing our religious o- pinions. IIL (1) « The King is declared Head of the Church in no sense at variance with that spiritual supremacy which belongs to Christ alone^* (2) " The King or Queen may forbid the exercise of that sacred comnission derived frora Christ.^* (3) Therefoi-e-^ihe King or Queen ought to bo the Head of the Church, seeing that He or She has, and yet has not aright to interfere in spiritual r otters. Are these the guardians of the flock of Christ in this Colony ? Infelixio ! semper oves pecus ! I shall leave my learned friends to eetde these diffi- culties among themselves : and will consider their argu» mehts in the most favourable light, as going no farther than Doctor Paley, who says, that, ** a religious estab- lishment is no part of Christianity ; (consequently no part of a christiaa church) it is only the means of in- culcating it.'* My BrcckviDe friend makes a pitiful voyage across the Atlantic, in order to rescue England from the sword of the ravenous invader. I did not think of forming an alliance with the tithcmongers of the ^* Velvet Cushion," nor shall I now. But did I feel disposed to enter into an investigation of the tithing system — were I to des- cribe the feelings, circumstances, and oppression of two thirds of England, ana four fifths of Ireland, 103 I could a tale unfold, whose lightest ^ord WouU harrow up thy soul ; freeze thy wara blood : JMake thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres ; Thy knotted and combined locks to part, And each particular hair to stand on end Like quills upon the fretful porcupine. Shakespeare. The Kingston gentleman assigns as a reason why the apostles avoided all collision with the civil government, ** that Judah was a conquered province, subject to the Roman bondage." Were all the Provinces of the Ro- man Empire tributary, and subject to a foreign power 1 And was that the reason why the apostles cautiously a- voided ail interference with their political government? How dare England deviate from the example of the a- posdes 1 How dare she set up an ecclesiastical hierar- chy in opposition to the Roman Pontiff, under whom she was in " bondage'"? Our attention is next called to the example of the Jewish Polity. This is the great foundation stone on which the advocates for establishments build ; and on this point I shall therefore be more particular. The constitution of the Jewish Polity, and that of Eng- land are very different. jReligi4)n was the great end of the Jewish government ; and her civil authority was es- tablished for this express purpose. But the British con- stitutioi? was established for the purposes of cM poll-. ,cy ; and religion is established as a convenience thereto, and not as the great end of her government, as my op- ponent (begging the question) attempted to insinuate. It has e^er been a maxim among the most crafty poli- ticians, that every state should have some established religion, by whose coercive influence the bounds of na- tional feeling might be the more strong y cemented. Thus the Egyptians worshipped their dogs and monk- eys, &.c.-the Greeks their " thousand deities" — the Per- sians, the same— and the Babylonian King set up his I- - - 1 :_ ~^^U-,^i^^'nv, ■.tAiU l-ijci Pov'liqmpnt fotntrinnn- mage, HilU III CUnjuiiLuwu ^th-u liia X. tiiiianirin, ^.«^-.. ed all men to fall down and worship it. These various 11 I 104 religions were all established by Law, And under a pretended zeal for one of these established religions, Macedonian ambition, which aimed at nothing less than the conquest of all Greece, concealed those dark de- signs which required the tongue of a Demosthenes to expose. Although later politicians have been more ju- dicious in selecting that " religion which is not of this world" in preference to heathen superstition ; yet it is made to accomplish the same purposes, viz : to impose restrictions on the moral freedom of men — to unite th* m to the government by a legalized religion — to identify Christ's kingdom with an earthly kingdom — and to treat all as foreigners who will not bow down to the Image that Nebuchadnezzar the King hath set up. Another point of distinction between the constitution of England and the Jewish government is, that in all im^ portant transactions, the Jewish Legislators enquired of God by the Urim and Thumim, and the Almighty direct- ed them in all considerable ecclesiastical, civil, and mi- litary affairs by the immediate revelations of his will. Are the affairs of Great Britain, or any other kingdom, gov- erened by immediate revelations from heaven ? I can hardly believe that my opponents are so ** enthusiastic" as to maintain this. Why then is it that *' religion which stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God," to be subjected in its rights, ceremonies, and in- stitutions, to the imperfect, fallible, and unauthorised in- ventions of men? Why is that "Kingdom which is not of this world," subjected to the Kingdoms of tlis world 1 Again ; the Jewish government was a Theocracy. The Almighty condescended to become their King arjection to the civil powei j i)y wlurh the most sacred istitution of Jeisus is perverted to m.rcciiary purposes ? V\' hy cannot all the l>ishops a.ul cleni;y within the KeaTm alter a singe iota of the church of England Liturg.v. Discipline, or Es- tablishment, against wldch many of them most pumsly exclaim, if the authority of the King and l>arliament be \'hy are persons sup- ported by Parishes which they have sea rcely ever, or never seen? Why are clergyman, who never preach, en- dowed with l.ivings amounting to many thousands ot pounds per annum, while the faithful and laborious cu- rate, who bears the bur.len and heat of the day, has not enoush for a comfortable subsistence, is that ht Pau s doctrine, < If any man will not work, neitlier shall he eat ? Why are the messengers of peace, who are sent torth to preach glad tidings of 2;reai j.y-to te.ch heaven s tru hs and them alone, diverted from tV-e holv calling, and seated lu apolitical legislature to mali-^ M.e laws aj eaHli Z-^ Why are men vi^'.-d with civil nthonty to judge another man's servant, and to pronounce evcy one an— -who does not observe the sa■ *k- truth, become < one body,' as is ''-scribed in scriptures, MWM Hhc! in ihe nineteenth article of the church of EnglAticf. Ihe » amha..atl..rs «f Christ' shoijlcJ • l)e re.»ewed after the iinas« of God'— filh'tl with the Holy Ghost'-true to their Kins-faithful to their God-ensamples to the flock linpek in their dispositions-clothed with humil.ty-not lovers of filthy lucre, hut lovers of (iod-acquain ed with the doctri.ie« which they teach-verse.l lu the «»oy scrip- tuves-freciuent at their devotions-hkraeless m their lives and conversation— zealous m doing good. In short, they should enrich their own souls with * whatsoever thini^s are true, whatsoever things are honest, .vhatsoever things are just, whatsoever thi.i^s arc pure, >vhatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of feood report.' They should ' Seek to delight that they may mend mankind, And while they captivate, inform the mind. Their language simple as their manners meek. No shining ornamenis have they to seek, Nor labour they, nor time nor talents waste, In sorting flowers to suit a fickle taste ; But while they speak the wisdom of the skies, Which art can only darken and disguise, The abundant harvest, recompense divine, , Repays their labour— the gleaning only mine. Such a Ministry, Mr. Eilitor, is the proper vehicle of communication between earth and heaven, between God and man. Let such a body of men, exercising h^^ir sa- ^ed commission,' free from the clogs of worldly policy, throw themselves upon the woild-resting their hopes of t^^Isupon the power of the truths .liich they teach- suunortec bv the ' tVeewill offeiings' of mankind. (^ Cor. X 7. hetherthpy come from King, No hle^^".' P^^bians ^11 such aminisfry want any good thing ? W ill not Tus be with them always, even unto the end of the world? And will nor that Holy Spirit, which (iod nath promised to every tme that asketh him. (not to communicate mira- c«hms^.owers,) but, to enligl.ien the mind-to renew the ra ture, and to sanctif:- the soul ; influence the subjects of hi no ver to bring foHh the fruits of , ii,hteousnes-min.s. «c_c.ui»ni.H the ministry of ter to Hie necesmurs us mr n«iu -— -ri- •- - „'*„;- the word^aiul to be give to hospitality ? But say certaw ter to the necessilies af the sai ! 1 A (1 after true to p flock y — not (1 with r scrip- isfl in doing 1h with honest, 5 pure, are of hide of en God leir * sa- policy, hopes of teach — (3 Cor. 'lehians, Vill uot e worhl? M'omised Lte mira- *npW the il)jects of — minis- inistry of y certain t f 118 ^ehttemeii, to be supported by ^ elecmosyhary contribu- tions' is degrading. In tlie first place, 1 deny that to b6 Charity which is a right (1 Cor. ix.) And in the next place J ask, < is the servant above the Lord V < It is enough for the servant that he be as his master, and the disciple as his Lord.' < Go,' said the Saviour, ' into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. He that eiveth you a cup of cold water in my name, shall not lose his reward.' Is not this character as good as an act of Parliament? Is not the example of Christ and his Apostles, and the < reme?n- brancer' of the church in its purest ages, as worthy of im- itation as that system which had its birth in tlie christian church in the days of papal usurpation, and which was palmed upon England about the eighth century ? Look at some of those kingdoms where Christianity stands upon its proper basis. Are morals disregarded — churches a- bandoned — faithful ministers neglected— literature despi- sed or slighted— or are any religious bodies stigmatized with < disaffection to the government?' < Alas ! is so mo- mentous a thing as religion to be made the sport of man- kind's' ambitious designs? therefore, 8t. Paul to distinguish himself from such, calls himself an Apostle, not of man, but of God" — (Gal. 1. 1.) — and ^malarious (de off. Eccles. 11. 13.) says, that <* they who are now called bishops, were originally called Apostles : but not thinking it decent to assume the name of Apostles, they, dividing the name, left to the presby- ters the name of the presbytery, and they, themselves, were called bishops." This will perhaps satisfy our author, that if, at any time, there was a confusion in the names f there never was in the qffices of a bishop and a presbyter. 1 will now advance some other testimonies in fkvonr of my position. << The order of bishops," says Tertulliarif <^ when it is traced up to its original, will be found to ^lave St. John for one of its authors." Irenoeus always de- rives the succession of bishops, and their original, from the Apostles — in consequence to which he says, that *' Hy- genus, bishop of Rome, was the ninth in order of Episco-' pal succession from the Apostles." (Lib. 1. 28,) Tertalh tan, likewise, in insisting upon the same argument, makes a challenge to all sorts of heretics upon it, and says, < Let them shew us the original of their churches, and give us a catalogue of t^ vir bishops, in an exact succession from first to lant, whereby it may appear that therf first bishop hadl either some Apostle^ w'some Apsstolical man living io ISO the time of the Apostles, for his author, or immediate pre- decessor.' (Pert, de Proeser. 32.) It is to be observed, that in the common offices which Presbyters as well as bishops were permitted to exercise -—the latter acted by an independent power— the former in dependence upon, and in subordination to the bishops. --In the works of Ignatius Cyprian, and in the canons of the ancient councils, we find many passages which agree in this, that nothing is to be done without the bishop, that IS, without his knowledge, without his consent, direction, and approbation. But it is unnecessary to multiply quo- tations in proof of Episcopal preeminence— a thonsand could readily be adduced, if required. I will only add, that 5^. Chrysostom, in advancing to the highest the power of the Presbyters, plainly asserts their inferiority m the matter of conferring ordination ; (Uom. ii. in 1st lim. 3.8.); and the same author (Bom. i. in Phil. 1.) proves Timothy to be a bishop, because the Apostle speaks of bis power to ordain, in bidding him to « lay hands snd- denly on nc man.' He adds also, (Hom. xiii, in 1 Tim. 4, 14.) that ^the Presbytery which ordained Timothy, wasasynodofhishojjs, because mere Presbyters had no power to ordain a bishop' I shall only add on this head the saying of £p>Aaw2M», (Haer. 75.) that < the order of bishops begets fathers to the church, which the order of Presbyters cannot do, but only begets sons by the regene- ration of baptism.' ^ To what, then, does all this lead ? Does all this mass ot testimony prove nothing in favour of Episcopal pre- eminence ? Does it not shew the order of bishops to be not only distinct from, but superior^ to the order of Pres- byters ? Should it not remove every doubt from those who declare themselves unsatisfied by what they call the accidental, and, as it were, interjectional testimonal testi- monies of the Apostolic writers? Is not the practice of the Apostles* succe$.sors ; evinced by the uncontradicted testimonies of three centuries of writers ; sufficient to con- nrm the nature and mode of those institutions on which Mie Apostles themselves may not have spoken clearly and t T i I t at length? Or, were all those ancient fathers; those -clouds of witnesses/ the wretched dupes of cruelty, or thecrafty authors of imposture? Is it possible that all the churches founded by the Apostles, in places too the most distant and disjoined ; in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Alexandria, in Corinth, in Rome ; would unite in the ac- knowledgment and use of a constitution which the Apos- tles had never established ? If, in contradiction to Apos- tolic appointment, would it have been introduced without opposition? Would no voice have been raised ajrainst such an innovation? : Would no discontent have been ex- pressed at such a deviation from priaitive establishments? No such opposition was expressed for nearly four centu- ries : the early heretics, the Arians, Macedonians, No- vatians, Donatist*3,&c. ever maintained the settled distinc- tions of ecclesiastical orders, and acknowledged the duty of the inferior clergy to their bishops. Is it possible that, in those days of persecution, when to be eminent amongst Christians exposed to greater trial, and to seek distinc- tion, was to court danger and trouble, torture and death there should have prevailed such an ambition of unlawful advancement as, we find, to have influenced the ablest and the best of Christians ? — Are we lo charge upon those famous martyrs, to the cause of christian truth, such an inconsistency as, on the one side, to aspire to so unwar- rantable a distinction, and on the other, to yield to such unlawful encroachments ? Are we to suppose that all those holy men — so renowned for their wisdom, and so conspicuous for their inteT;rity — were, on the one hand, so blind as to overlook sucn a corruption, and on the other, so wicked as to abet it ? Were the whole church of God so weak in judgment as to assent to such an innovati(m, and so base in practice as to comply with it P Can we conceive, indeed, that all the monum«'nts of christian an- tiquity — the acts, the letters, the histories, the apologies of the early martyrs and confessors of our faith — would have conspireci to deceive us P Shall we, indeed, reject as tended so vigorously for the faith against the falseness of 1^ pa£j;auisni, ami the comiptions of heretics— who here plan- ted the 2;oo(l serd by their labours, and there watered it with their biodd F Those fathers, ray adversary contends, are no authority for us ! Certainly 1 would not yield them implicit faith in points of doctrine, bull will respect their testimony in matters of fact : though I would not build my faith ou their mere sentiments or assertions, T will give them due reverence when they do not contradict ; nay, attest to the scriptures. Or, are we to discard every historical narra- tive as fictitious, whose writers were uninspired ? Are we to be sceptical about the existence of a Caesar, or Cic- ero, because the volumes of iH<«piration record not their names or their deeds ? Do we place no confidence, in the relations of profane historians, nor admit their testi- mony for our knowledge of the manners and customs of a particular age or natitui I'—Do we not adduce clauses even of Tacitus and Pliny in support of the evidences of our holy relii;i()n, and admit the relations of contempor.iry pn'^ans as corroborative of the testimonies of cln-istian writers ? Were we to deny all confidence in profane narratives, would not many a paragraph in the volume of insjiiration be to us unintelligible ? For a knowledge of the historical incidents and neighbouring customs of which the new Testament makes frequent, though indirect, men- tion, do we not resort to the compositions of contemporary heathens, and ransack their historians, their philosophers and their poets, to discover the meaning and propriety of sliuiht and casual allusions P Do our dissenting brethren reject those records of church history which bear witness to the authenticity of that scriptural cannon on which we found our faith, and by which we regulate our practice ? Are we not indebted to the early fathers, if not for the settlement of that cannon, at least for our knowledge, that it is really the volume which the first Apostles compiled 9 Do we not depend upon their authority for our rejection of certain spurious volumes, which were, from time to time, foisted into the code of onr religious faith ? A_re we not indebted to them for the detection of suppositione, i- 1S3 9 ^ passages craftily inserted into the inspired volume ; and do we not confide in their integrity, and praise their vij-i- lance in thus preserving the purity of those heavenly rec- ords ? Are nj.t the writings of the fathers the stamina of that gigantic work, 'The credibility of the Gn^p.-I l,i^- tory'-*.and was not its author, Or. Lardner, a dissenter P But fancy all these documents of church history destroy- ed — lead the waters of oblivion over every written tract which emanated from a christian since the days of Saint John ; and where would be those 88. which we now tri^ umphantly hoid up as the touch-stone by which to try the soundness of our belief, and the reasonableness of our hopes.? They would either long ago have shared the destruction of those contempjnary and succeeding annals io which some yield no authority or credit — or they would have come down to us, so interpolated by every heretiral conceit and < private interpretation,' so clogged with the contradictory statements of oral tradition, that their pure original would have been lost for ever. The absence of such testiratmy would, indeed, have « made infidelity tri- umph ;'and we, 1 fear, < would not hn\c been left to tell the mournful tale.' Now sir, the same written authority —the same recorded testimony— the coincidences of sepa- rated and successive writers, undesignedly testifyin?^ to, and proving the same fact— the same indisputable mars of evidence which convinces us of the divine inspuation of that voh..ne which we hold as the < rule and guide of our lives,' does, with every similar instance <»f candour and truth, convince us also that Me or^/f';- of bishops wuh pre eminent in the christian church— that it was founded by the Apostles— that it alone was the channel of the appoint- ment of christian ministers. To shew what were « the opinions of some of the most karned and most successful defenders of the church of England on this point, and how they accord wilh' the reasoning I have advanced, 1 shall quote and beg of my generous adversary to profit by the following remarks of the ce,ebrateu Br. Ssaac Barrow : » if any man f)e so dull or so affectedly ignorant as not to see (-he reason of the case, and the dangerous consequences of rejecting this ancient form of discipline ; if any be so oyerweeningly presumptuous as to question the faith of all history, or to disavow those monuments and that tradition upon the tes- timonv whereof even the truth and certainty of our reii- don, and all its sacred oracles do rely ; if any be so per- versely contentious as to oppose the custom and current practice of churches thr.^ugh all ages down to the last age; so self conceitedly arrogant as to condemn or slight the iudgment and practice of all the Fathers ; so peevishly refectory as to thwart the settled order of that church in which he was baptized, together with the law of the coun- try in which he was born ; upon such a person we may look as one utterly invincible and intractable : so weak a iudsraent and so strong a will who can hope by reason to Convert? (Theol. works, IH, 114.)* * * With re- ffard t(» reiii-iom estahlishmmts, the impure atmosphere of which se4ms so much to affect the free breathing of our author, that he is rather unintelligible in the expression of his sentiments, I would that he had disproved my detail of the baneful effects of desultory teaching instead ot blind- ins; our eyes with that strange commixtiun of rhetorical fi-ure which meets us at the opening of his communica- tion. I have read with much interest and pleasure the successive communications of the Church oj Ens;landman in the Kingston Chronicle, and highly approve of the a priori argument which he produces in favour of religious establishments amongst christians. (>rtain y the natural learning and universal practice of mankind bespeaks the innate propriety of such a connexion betwixt church and state, whilst it gives to our argument an antecedent lorce which a few instances of dissent can no more affect than a few specimens of monstrous productions in nature can de- tract from the evidence of its general order. We grant that, in many cases, the natural bent of mankind is repug- nant to the principles which religion has laid down, and their practice contradictory to the precepts which morality approves— yet, abstracted from my conviction t.ia. ^.n- bent and practice is something contingent rather than , I : f I t''r. 125 strictly moral, and arising from the natural fitness of tinned rather than trom the cajirice of natural feeliti-, still, i„d|- mg from the philosophy of the mind and the practice of all nations, I conceive it to he a property of an i.Kstinctive na- ture similar to that which preserved in all n-es and a- mongst every people the helief of a (iod and of tlie immor- tall y of the soul. lu the early and patriarchal ages, pa- rental authority was uniformly blended with the exercise of religious offices ; and the leading family of a tribe uni- versally furnished its head as the minister of sacred thin-s. 1 he same thing is observable amongst the aboriginal in- habitants of our own country ; where, we find the untuto- red Indians are directed by nature or instinct to delegate to the venerable head of a community m- nation the chief direction in matters af religion. This, to use the language of Cicero, we cannot denominate any thing less than the vox ;|fl^«r«e-and this voice of nature has evidently the sanction of tod from his own particular appointmmit in the case of the Jews, and his permission of a similar esta- blishment amongst christians. For, I contend with mv learned and ingenious coadjutor that a silence upon tlfe subjectnmounstoa permission; and the founders of our religMn woulcl mturaUy adopt the usages which nature had suggested in the general practice of mankind, and Go(l Vad sanctioned inthe case of their sister church - L., r.^ unless expressly required, they would in mv opu .i.ve been chargeable with no inferior degree of presumption m overturning that order of society, and in ^Zt'^flr'^'YK'''^'.''^''''''''^'''^ ^»»^h the natural fitness of things had pointed out-by which mankind had been universally directed-and which God himself had approved. But I leave this argument to the able cham- pion of our cause already alluded to-whose depth and origma 1 y of mind are so clearly evinced by the produc- ions with which he has recently favored us, and^v lidi tXl' ^«/»;«,C»"J£^\ofwhich he professes himself a S? ll • '* r®''*^u"^^ *^^* ^^i« «»' reasonable belief and pious hope, that God will never leave his Church without those ^ nursing fathers and nursing mo- i26 tl)Pis' Avliich j\rp provided for it in kin}:;s and governments; and that the dny wili never arrive wiien states and civil sorituie* sluill aholish all connection with religions esta- bli^liments. We simll ever hope for the aid and inflnence of tluU :iuth<»rity to preserve concord and harmony in the service of God— that the church of Christ may be kept from an endless division into jarring sects, manifesting not that • sione which is to become a great mountain and fill the whole earth,' but a disjointed mnss of incoherent particles which may be scattered by every wind of op- position from without, and of commotion from within — that Christendom may not present a Babel of confused opinions and contradictory practices rendering ' tlie truth as it is in Jesus' so mangled and disfigured as to become ai\ object of aversion t«» the wise and of contempt to the profane. We will not deny that abuses may creep into the most psrfect institutions of man ; for every thing hu- man is fallible, and the holy structures of God have been marred by the imperfections of his creatures : still we c» ntend for the soundtjess of the principle, and believe that to the pious contemplator of that happy time when < the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea,' it would present an inconsisten- cy fiie, most glaring to suppose that human governments and the christian church could be otherwise *han in uni- son, or that this reign of truth could exist unless the ordi- nances of man were sanctiimed by the appointments of God. and Immstn politics could admit a conjunction with the institutidus of religion. Much has been said on the fancied interruption of E- piscopal sutcession ai the time of the Reformati«m — groun- ded upon the idea that as the church of Home was wholly corrupt atid anti christian in its spirit and practice, th6 chain uf that suf cession was broken, and therefore Epis- copacy fell to the ground. My adversary is at some pains to detail the monstnms enormities of which the Ro- mish Popes Mere guilty with a design to show how im- pure was ^^'/f r'-ifin I ot Apostolic surcrssifm. To his accounts of their flagitious lives 1 readily subscribe— but 1»7 I beg of him to discriminate betwixt the Romish and the Catholic church, and not to fasten upon tlio whole society ofthechurch militant upon earth those hwrrid impieties winch more particularly appertain to the former. The l^ope of Rome was evidently an usurper, and had no right, m a spiritual or in any other capacity, to exercise a jurisdiction over foreign churches and realms. It need scarcely be repeated that the church of England, amongst others, early manifested an opposition to this encroach- ment and gradually struggled with that unlawful domina- tion until she entirely freed herself from the baneful thral- dom. And even that connection, whilst it subsisted, had rather the nature of a civil than of a religious alliance— at least, the sanction of the Pope of Rome was not, in a spiritual light deemed necessary to the validity of the Jipiscopal commission. He was not the channel of that order : Bishops were consecrated by bishops in the due line of Apostolic succession ; and to use the language of an ancient Chronicler (Girald. Camb. Itin. 11, 1;,) ^ The Welsh bishops are consecrated by the bishop of Saint Davids and he himself, in like manner, is ordained by others who are, as it were, iiis suflVagans, professing no manner ofsuhjection to any other church. Most truly the whole of Christendom was infected by that corruption in doctrine and discipline which, in gene- ral, owed its rise to the Papal usurpation, and loudly cal- led for the reform which it was the happiness of our coun- try to admit. But what does a reform imply? Not surely a demolition of the whole fabric, but the eradica- tion of abuses— not the destruction of the whole constitu- tion of Christianity, but its purification from the errors which deformed it. This was done by the church of ^'v gland. They had wandered away from the appoint- •jents of their divine Master, and < sought out manv in- ventions ;' but the latter they abolished— to the former they returned. They did not overturn, with sacrilegious hand, the whole system of Christianity, and bury, in one indiscriminate ruin, all that was pure and proper, with ifvhatever was corrupt and wicked— no : they carefully ii8 lliscllnihmted I.cIm Ixt (he evil ai,,| l|.„ ;.„„,) . ,„,, , |, , they emd.cate.l the former us the c.rrm.t invention of .»,u, they a.lhe.e.. Jo the hUter a, the 'workm.„r. ^f (.0.1. I hey , elan.,-, every iastitutior. ivhici, was a„i,(". |<:a.Kl |,r..n,t.ve, an.l wn„l,l not ahan.lon that n.di'um of the .mm, eiml commission which the first teache s "f Christ had settled, and their successors liad universally Hut suppose that all tliinss had been thus overwhelm- ed— tli;it one wide and undislinsuislied ruin nresenled asiiin the melancholy picture of presenteU 1 . -7-''""' ; "nl'» indigesta que moles Who was to lay again the (j.uner stone of the ne(v temnle th 'trr'.:;';^ i" ''-.'.'"f ' '-*^'"" u^zal.co:ld s the aik of Ood without presumption? What Korah cmUfter incense to the people without profanation ?- What Jeroboam could exercise and confer the priestly uflice «i hont making Israel t.. sin ? No : such imnie v was not hazarded hy the church of Kngland!! cl a'n aE nihilalion, such a rum was not contemplated bv them it was contrary to the received maxims of mankind iTwas . cntrary to he revealed examples of Heaven. Whm man originally .upright, had sought out many inven tions,' insomuch that ' it repented the Lord that he ha I made man on tl«3 e_arlh,' and he decree.l their signal punil ment-we yet find that «od did not «»m7«7afl'the sne s" and cast them anew in a different mould, but he pernclua- ted be race through the same medium as he W It firs eslah isbed, and left them the same aspect, the same „a tnre, he same propensities. So, the' ark of tl e tr,^ church still floated over this ocean of wreck and ru „_Ihe church of Christ, though deformed, was not des Zed t the corruptions whi< h were heaped upon it-the rock of ita foundation was unbroken-its modelsnrvivedl mpair^ I -Its lineaments remained imperishable. By the nt™r. vention of the clouds of human' error, its glory was ec in sed-but not extingnished. The ' Spirit^f God" S .K»,v ..v»ds were dispersed— and that sun broke forth ^ ! 1+ tnd whilst ?ntion9 of anship of A aposto- nofliuni of aclicrs of niverscally erwlielm- presented ^v temple, uld touch it Korah lation ? — i priestly 1 impiety cli an an- them : it I : it was When y inven- he had 1 punish- B species erpetua- l at first ime na- the true lin — the oyed hy ck of its n paired B inter- s eclip- ' inter- order : B forth iS9 once more. It was not a new creation— new lidils wcr6 not set up in the reli-ious firmament, hut the oh! (mcs were Ireed from the spots which iiad dimmed their radi- ance. That fabric as constituted hy the son of God-iioly and spiritual in its nature— was impalpable to the uniiaUow- ed touch ot man. He mi-ht obscure, but coubl not alter ■—he mi-ht heap on additions and defile, but he could not destroy. Our reformers cleansed away this rubbish of Popish superstilion, and restored to the enraiitiired si-ht of mail the primitive purity of our holy reli-ion. Our iiishops- the le-itimate dispensers of the ministerial com- mission— awoke from the trance of Popish enchantment and broke from the thraldom of Romish error : they wash- ed and mnde clean their j;arments, and stood again, in their original and unsulled vestments, before the alter of their (>od. Although, Mr. Editor, 1 am conscious of too groat a tresspass already, 1 must intrude some further remarks ia deleiice of certain jm^iitions advanced in my former com- munication. My adversary, as I complained at the com- mencement of this, has spread some of the mists of his own fancy upon my meaning, in speaking of the influences of the spirit. No person can subscribe more heartily tiiau myself to the doctrine of divine grace, as inculcated in our Liturgy and Articles, and in the SS, which arc the basis of both ; yet I contended that the workings of that grace were not an arhitrary prevention of our wills, nor irveslstiblc movement of our feelings. But, Sir, is it not laying claim to that extraordinary aid and guidance— to a most miraculous interference with the known nature of man, to say, as many of that persuasion have vaunted that human attainments were needless for the due qualifi- cation of a minister of Christ ; and that the Holy Gh(»st suddenly and sensibly communicates such a light into their hearts, as to supply at once every deficiency of the former, and to expel every corruption of the latter? This would certainly be as presumptuous as it is ridiculous- for whilst it leagued the majesty of heaven wiili the wild 130 Sim 5 .T' " '"'."" '"P'y "■« «"»"»>«:«' of our own Ireedom of action, and an end to that accniinf.h!i:, 8en8eofwhich,i»« most povverful reLS„™ ''.'■.'''y' » rropensities of our nature, rend" in^a thrame ti- useless and unmeaning, these admonitions of II f *' i.ot(he Holy Spirit of God-q„erh" oUhe sdW 1^^"^ we grieve that which arbitrarily moves o„r S? r \a ted, with some severity, in my last communicaUon Tn. pres.nt'^ /^thrirfru?(,T/r}!?*'''"S'«o nnhap^ Lasured by &nrrd ^of tn^T ''">'-'-'^/»4 safe test ofthereien ami infl.;".'*""'^ *' "'« on'y Whilst, on Oie on! hand it i "^ 'h' ''"'? "sitant.- luanifested in a "haWnt' tLT,'"'"^ '» ""^ i-difference neutrality of the afferS.^"".'^" opinions'-to that litions of enthuSas^ whf.?^ J' " '''"'""' ""«« "bnl. eiplesof christianUv Iriiri ''"''"'=''!:'' '^"'' ''>« P'in- pi!..fessors. That ^' " diTp i P''!'''" "^"" '"'"««' animal na.ure7nlt"h ^n' f srr™''r1 "P°" "■« It 18 the wild rule nf rpl.»lii ... * • "'e inner man : which commoX leavesThi' < V '"«'»r '"'"""' '""l decayed fanihie^ anT^eaS' ."eSf tutTe'",'" ««4effer;tset 'btrit^.^ after the first and tumul- ont the SOUL Sr^L „,! S"2"'"''.'"'^"'"«»' "'"'"Sh- clu»iv«r„»i.^"!'"".?.'T'''«'""edin the moments of Ix- - -—.„.„„.. vv«u jieaven, when the beart rashes to 131 the bliss fot which the lips are praying, but settline af length into that * peacfe of God which passeth all under- standing.' JBar less does it savour of that tumultuous gladness which, passing away, leaves behind it a dim cloud of melanclioly--oppre8sing the mind with languor, and the heart with discontent-but the permanent joy it excites, disperses every invidious shadow which would J^yj^e beauty of holiness, and damp the true fervour of Amongst the first fruits of that spirit is ^ love' illimita- ble love to God and man--drawing us with a gentle vio- lence tothe purity of heaven, and embracing, in its bene- voleiit ardour, the whole brotherhood of the family of man. To /nts conclusion would I bring our present controversy —that kindred minds and kindred hearts may blencrinto a closer harmony of sentiment, and into intenser feelinas of benevolence, that they may speed the arrival of that happy period, the universal reign of heavenly truth, and the unbounded prevalence of christian charity. Whilst It IS my prayer aud hope, to experience at the latest hour of existence, that consolation which an adherence to the ordinances o my church has preserved during my life— I will entreat that the last sleep of every christian may also be preceded by the ^sure and certain hope of the resiirrec tion to eternal life^— and that if we cannot kneel before the same altar in this world, we may all bow down before the same throne in heaven. a *.« ^Ji^^^ber of the Church of England. August 19, 1826, * FOR THE UPPEr'canADA HERALD, • Observations on the Remarks of the Member of the ,* ^,. Church of England,' igc. Mr. Editor,— •'a > ^ The voluminous communication of the * Member of the Church of l^ngland,* obliges me again to solicit your ia- dulgence. I should have noticed the article, already al- -u(.8„ to, at an earlier period, had not my travels, which have exceeded four hundred miles since its recepUo^ to- 182 gether with various other duties, renderedit imnractica blc. 1 am happy to find that my former cursor? !i? tions on the suhject of Episcopacv and nnhtl^ '"■''^■ sion have, while' they hal?e Sd^mJ 7|S^^^^^^^ most oi then- stronc holds, civen mv n Jl.; f . can.lour and christian cbmly. Ami doubS U m^st b5 p easing to every impartial reader to see, afwell in t e ^«.h of an amiab^ie tKb\J;;\i n.^^r;ir by the collision. ^The tir/'ofl™ t iifl.e^'H: •1''''' clmrch have always been marked b^ t ,e c.mfl t „ St? ciple : it requires neit ler a smre „l>. IT^^'^^^'^S prin- t= • htif'nit z^z7^^r^ Siving offence to others, the iral' brei-L the T U ally s:l s:':f^;ra:r C^"^^^^ lessnessin his labours ll, W'«'"';!f""' of f™it- voice in defence'orrn iis,ds'ed"ruti:":s ll" "" T ""^ and the inviolable privile^, „f ,;„v. '. f r' '? '''"*"*' always borne, and mmt Si ii. " ''"™ ^^•"'om. I o«t.hestale-aec.a.ati.n\t-"ig„raZ'„„Ta^^^^^^^^^ ■f! il.^ # k^ •raclica- >bserva- succes- ts from agonist ling of nust be in the timents n, the ! agita- mrable ?licited ristian I e bate, it and riance bene- ; prin- tacred aims.' e the"*"' ice on iable, iiurch 1 the L'eblc ir of spell s of Tuit- his IS us, has ex- ind- the can m,' il.^ k^ 133 and interest will never fail to sound the alarm, ^ Diana ig in danger, these men who have turned the world upside down have come hither also, and are teachins; without authority from US, doctrines, and customs which are not awful for men to receive and observe.' Such have been the hardiness and perseverance of these twin ornaments ot prelatical policy, that the mathematical demonstra- tions of unanswerable argument have hitherto failed ia humbling their irritational assumptions & the irrefra^'able proof of many ages of experience has been too feeble to silence their calumny or sooth their malignity. But while the investigation of religious truth, and the uniform tenor ot her unequivocal doctrines and precepts, have not sue- ceeded in banishing the arrogant pretensions of the ambi- tious and interested to f.rcto/ve priviles;es, they have always emitted a light of evidence a^nd consistency, w herby the ignorant are informed, the wavering establish- ed, and the impartial convinced. But nothing is more common in the course of these controversial investigations than too much excitement of feeling which leads to a bit- terness of expression * at once at variance with the princi- ples of charity and decorum.' Of this my adversaries' publications afford an abundant proof. By them, per- sonal abuse has been substituted in place of evidence, and an heterogeneous < commixtion of rhetorical figure' for the legitimate deductions of cool reasoning. Indeed suchwas the severity and indecency of their abuse, and such their ludicrous j>retentious, < wealth power, and daz- zeling prospects,' that 1 was compelled to derogate from the solemnity and dignity of the subject, in order to expos their futility, rembering the proverb of the wise man, < to answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his .own eyes,' and not forgetting the well known say- ingof the poet : " Ridiculurr Acri fortius." But I am happy that my present adversary has, in his last communication- sepn tl»» ininponf'o^v «f cn^i. « r.«.j.— - and and has adopted a method for which he is worthy of respect and praise. However, i^ sppr^e *»">* ♦' " ' * . .,A 184 nest and well meaning men are not free from imperfec- (ions, and, hastily assuming a wrong position, and urged on by a misguided zeal to supp'^ .t it, tliey involve them- selves in inconsistencies and contradictions which they are unable to reconcile. Such is the case of my antago- nists with regard to each other, and such is the case of my present antagonist with respect to himself. Having made a sad mistake, with respect to the influence of the Holy Spirit, in his first publication, and having thus brought himself in direct contact with his professed prin- ciples, he now endeavours to secure a respectable retreat, by charging me with the < misrepresentation of his senti- ments.' 1 should wish my learned friend to show where- in 1 misrepresented his sentiments, or clouded them < with the mists of my own fancy.' Did he not affirm as posi- tively that it ^ is presumption t » lay claim to a heavenly aid and guidance, which is only promised as & furtherance to our own good endeavours, and that the Holy Spirit is not given as an extraordinary illumination of our faculties,' as he did, that the < workings of that grace are not n ar- bitrary [iTeveniim of om whlSf or an irresistable move- ment of our feelings.' The former I disputed, the latter I left unnoticed. 1 am sure I never even entertained such an opinion, nor do I believe that any member of the body to which I belong has ever advanced such a sentiment. I defy my antagonist to produce an instance of it. Have I not in my publications from first to last insisted upon the necessity and importance of literary acquirements as in- dispensable requisites to an able minister of the gospel ? And do not the indefatigable exertions of the body of which I am a member declared the same ? Who then supports the idea that the < working of divine grace was ever an arbitrary prevention of our wills, or an irresisti- ble movement of our feelings ? No body but my antogo- nist. He roundly affirmed, that < in the age of miracles It was so.' If men < in the age of miracles or if the apos- tles were < arbitrarily' prevented and irresistibly moved, ^ Wiiere was their accountability?' "When will and reason (reason also is choice) Of freedom both despoiled made passive both. Had 8M?'d iVecedsi/y not God. '> t '■ 135 Hence it appears in the conclusion, that my antagonist has become tlie greatest eutfausiast with whom we are ac- quainted. < For my own bn»»ible self,' while I maintain the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's influence, and that * God works to will and to do of his own good pleasure^' I also maintain that we are to * work out' our own salvation/ and 1 therefore aflirm with 8t. Augustine, < Qui fecit nossine nobis, non salvabit nossine nobis,* To enter- tain us with an essay, on the influence and fruits of the Holy Spirit, or the christian religion, quite irrelevant to the subject of debate, my adversary introduces his re- marks, by disingenuously taxing * my worship with oc- casional extravagancies,' and the Methodists, with belie- ving in the ' uncontrollable movements' of the Holy Spirit^ and attributes to this mistaken notion, ' the original of those Kacchanalian spectacles which our infamous camp- meetings so unhappily present' Now, Mr. Editor, it is well known, that no persons are warmer advocates for moral, as well as religious freedom, than the Methodists ; and although as a frivate individual) I am no advocate for camp- meetings, when other religious means supersede their necessity, 1 would ask my learned friend, what are bis objections to tliem ? Does he object to the place of assemblage ? We have the example of him < who taught as never man taught.' Does he discountenance their praying collefctively at once ? His own Liturgy author- ises the * Minister, Clerl 3, and people, to pray with a loud voice.' Does he condemn those religious cxtacies which some experience and express ? The most pious of men, * a man after God^s own heart,' became quite a Bacchanalian in the eyes of his frowning Queen, and ac- complished friends, when he even danced before the Ark of God, not in a ball room, but in a religious extacy. If there be any such thing as a sound conversion to God — a condemned criminal to become a subject of pardoning mer- cy — a guilty sinner to become an adopted and beloved son, is there not a time when this change takes place, and can we be insensible of a change so conspicuous and aston- ishing ? And as this change is wrought upon the feel- 136 ingsaiul inclinations of our winds, must it not afl'ect our passions more or less ? And if an Euclid ^vitlu^ut being charged with madness, could run thro' tlic Athenian streets, exclaiming * eureka,' when lie had solved the 17tli Problem,is it a matter of ridicule that a universal condem- ned soul, when he receives tlie < oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spj»-^. ? f ».iGiiv'.iiess' — when he hears the voice of (^od say tc ' 'ouliled soul, ^ Peace, be still ; thy sins, which are i ..iiy, are dl for- given thee' — is it passing strange that he should < rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory ?* Are we sur- prised that he should, ' with a loud voice, glorify God?' (Luke 17, 15.) But to return ; * Hy their fruits,' says my antagonist, respecting ' tliose infamous camp-meetings,' ye shall know them. Let us for a moment examine their fruils by the ' only safe standard.' How many, how very many persons are there, in almost every part of this Province, as well as in other |)arts of America, who have, through the instrumentality of camp-meetings, been indu- ced to reform their lives ? The drunkard has become sobei — f|ie profane sw earer lias learned to set a guard before his lips, that he oifend not with his tongue—the sabbatii breaker has been persuaded to remember the 7th day to keep it holy ; and many of these highly salutary reformations have, in tjjeir comniencemci't.'becn efl'ected by means of camp-meetings. And it is a remarkable fact, that our present Indian Preacher, the fnst . of the Indian converts, and who has been the principal instru- ment in producing the astonishing reformation which we joyfully witness among the aborigines of this coun- try, was converted to the christian religion at a camp- meeting. What glorious results may not yet ensue from the conversions of such individuals ? I giant that there may be occasional improprieties at these meetings, and to borrow the language of my adversary, I further remark, that < abuses may cree|) into the most perfect institutions of man,' but these no more derogate from the propriety and usefulness of the institution itself, < than a few speci- mens of monstrous produetions in nature can detract from t T k 1 our I f iS7 the evidence oi" its ovder.' I feel opposed, and Iieli"ve il m\ indispensible duly, both in private and in pnhiic, to disconnienanccand condemn enthnsiasm of every kind: but at the same time, tlnit cliarity, which is the einl of {\\v. commandment and the bond of peifectness, will ever teach me to be cautious, what 1 denst ancient accounts, but two kinds of officer!^ aboard, could, after coasting upon the shores of Italy fur 138 so long a time, rest upon an apostolic mount, with the ad- ditional orders of King, Parliament, Archbishop, Arch- deacon, Deacon, Proctor, &c. &c. is a system of conjurinc concerning which the Scriptures favour me with no ac- count, and therefore cannot be received as an article of my faith. But my astonishment is increased when I am informed, this ' ark was not only tos ed upon the billows of Popery,' but < overwhelmed' and * deformed,' and that even then she retained all her ancient < lineaments' and primitive ' light.' This, sir, I think, must be ranked a- mong those miracles for which the Italian climate is so re- markable, and with which the Popish dogmas so plenti- fully abound. Upon what principle of theological reason- ing will we infer that a " foul, filthy old withered harlot" can bring forth a pure and holy daughter, with the high and exclusive claim to heaven delegated authority? Does the church or authority of Christ dwell in the embra- ces of the < Scarlet Whore'? is * Antichrist' to be the sole dispenser of the Holy Ghost, and his divine authority? To remove this difficulty, my antagonist < begs of me to discriminate betwixt the Catholic and the Romish church.' Will he have me discriminate betwixt that which is iden- tified by an act of the Imperial Parliament ? Suppose I should discriminate, what would that favour his case? If there had been a church from the apostles to the pre- sent time, as pure as the church triumphant, it would not prove that the church of lingland derived her Episcopal authority from that church. My adversary, in his first communication, did not intimate a doubt respectin-' the delegation of his Episcopate from the Romish Ch'urch. Nay, so far from it, that he maintained in the most un- qualified term the * validity of their Episcopal authority,' even to such a degree, that no Royal mandate could nul- Hfy It. Now Mr. Parker, the only source, of church of England Episcopacy, was ordained by Romish bishops or he was not. If he was not ordained by Romisk Pre- lates, from whence did he obtain his Episcopal authority? Ai «e Tr«3 uiuaiijuu by uishops 01 the church ot Rome, as all agree, and as my adversary tacitly acknowledged, as how then was his authority apostolic according to my ad- vei'sarys articles of faith? is there any union betwixt < Christ and Antichrist/ betwixt a • filthy old withered harlot' and the heavenly bride ? But suppose that the Komish orders were exclusively valid, they deny ever to have imparted this precious gift to the church of England Prelates : and besides, it is aflBrmed in the act of Supre- macy, which 1 quoted in ray last communication, ' that Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, and other ecclesias- tical persons, have no manner of jurisdiction ecclesiastic but by and under the King^s Majesty,' and consequently the bishops deposed by Queen Mary could have no ec- clesiastical authority to ordain Mr. Parker. To obviate the force of this argument, my adversary readily assures us, that * no prince nor power can take away, though they may /orfrzrf the exercise of this sacred commission. If a Prince has a right to forbid the exercise of this sacred commission, can the ministration ofthc suspended persons be valid during the period of their suspension ? Indeed the ordination of Parker appeared so doubtful, that an act of Parliament was passed 8 years afterwards, pro- nouncing it valid. If it was not valid before, could an act of Parliament make it so ? Queen Elizabeth deposed the Komish bishops whom she found, and their EpiscO' pal pwers ceased. In like manner did Queen Mary de- prive the bishops who ordained Parker, and their autho- rity ceased. For if it was right in Queen Elizabeth, it was equally so in Queen Mary. She was Sovereign in England as much as Queen Elizabeth: and if it was right in Queen Mary, what becomes of Parker^s ordination ? That the King, or even Queen, could not only unmake, but make bishops whenever he or she pleased, is obvious from the following letter of Queen Elizabeth to the Bishop of Ely, respecting the disposal of some land within his dio- cese, and as it is remarkable for the sentiments, and the spirit which it breathes throughout, as well as illustrative of the present subject, I will give it in her own words. * Proud Prelate, i I understand you are backward in complying v/ith / 140 < oui- a-i-comcMt ; hut I would liavc .vou kno^v, that I wlio * made, ^oii wliat voii .ire, can unmake yon; and if you do ^ not loithwitli fuini yourcn;;a-i'nients, by God, 1 will im- < nuMlinti'l y unfrock you. * Voury, asyou'dcniran yourself, ' ELIZABETH.' Irom whence did her Majrsty or any Prince get autho- ri(y to lurn the key of he;uen, and nnniake bishops at W'i^w pleasure r* This is what some gentlemen call < Anos- tuuc authority and practice.' " Heu vatum ignarae menies /" My adversary, in asciihin- (he glory of tlic reforma- tion to the' Chnrcii oflui-huid' and to her * Bishops ' V ho he says « awoke from the trance of Popish enclmnt- iiuni, r.m] broke from the thraldom of Romish error' seems to be as wide ofthe mark of historic truth,as he was when he referred us to Clement of Rome, to prove his E- l)iscopate. Luther and his contemporaries in Germany burst a.ssunder the chains 4 land, the Cler-y became Popish, and tlie Mass book su- perseded (liecommon Prnyer book. Queen Elizabeth how- evei-, diilerin- in hor relii-ious sentiments from her prede- cessor, established the protestant religion. Rut were the Lis.iops the principal promoters ofthe reformaton under queen Elizabeth." IS o Sir, they were opposed to the present establishment— so opposed were thevtoitfba^ Ar/h'»"a^oa E<:liard assures us, that ' fouWeen Bishops, twelve Deans twelve Archdeacons, fifteen beads of colleges, fifty • V I T "v 'V ^.•^ Hi prchemkrics, anil eighty Uectois, wore dqirived Iiy tliti Queen ; and it was strongly Relieved, that oflhciest, liiu '-reatest part complied against tlieir cnimtmmccs, and would have been ready ioi'^uiothertnnt, ii'ihe Queen liad died while that race of incumbaMts lived, aiid the next successor had been ot'«nof//ei* relii::iov.^ (Hist. Kng. ]). 330.) It would he much to the credit of my adversiary, if he were as famous for his historicsl correctness, as he is eminent for his sophistical obscurity. Upon a consideration of the whole sbject of unbroken succession, 1 beg leave to make the following supplemen- tary remarks. 1. 1 believe the notion of unbroken succession chimeri- cal, because my adversaries have not answered a single argument that 1 have adduced ag-iinst it. 2. Because it would unchrislianize the church of Ktig- land and every other reformed church. 3. JJecausc it must be traced through schismatics, heretics, infidels, idolators, drundards, adt.Ucrers, Simou- ists. Sodomites, and murderers, and then cannot be proved. 4 Because my antagonists have not produced an argu- ment to prove it uninterrupted, nor has any write- in favor of succession ever been prevaded uy. n to trace it. I therefore have a right to assume that thc\ cannot do il. 5. Because fair reasoning, and Hrong evidence have been adduced to prove, that the succession of Bishops has been broken ; I am therefore justified in believing that my adversaries cannot prove to the reverse. 6. Because it is contrary to the sentiments of the refor- mers. 7. Because it is contrary to the Homilies of the church of England, (see Hom. on Whitsunday part II.) and an insult to common sense. Lastly, the succession being interrupted and broken, I infer every dissenting minister has aa good authority to administer all the ordinances as a clergyman of the church of England. 14S FOR THE UPPER CANADA IfERALD. * Observationa on the Itemarks of the Member of the Church of England,^ 8[c, Mr. Editor, — Tlie concliKsion to wliich T have drawn the above re- marks, involvcH the next subject of discussion, viz. whe- ther, what we call in muderii language, episcopal ordina- tion, be essential to the lawful exercise of Ministerial functions : — with respect to the advantages or disadvanta- ges of different forms of church government, they are sub- jects foreign to the present question, and concerning which, I hope every one will peaceably enjoy his own opinion. — Tlie question now is, whether any particular form io es- sential — an iSS three orders, or into iwoP This involves the last toplr of discussicMi. — It is a^^reed on all Hiiles, that the ollices of listinct. piscopos and presbyter and di-acon are, and ever iiave l)e The queHtion now is, whether the words e presbuteros, are names of the same, or diffVnnt offices? My adver»*ary ins;enuously yields the ari^unit nt foun- ded npon the * etymology' of the term ejiiscopos. and rests his cause npon the*< a|)plication of its meaning;.' W! y then did he assure us, in his first article, < a compe- tent knowledge of the original tongue of the New Testa- ment, would aid the convictit)n that the terms episcopos and presbuteros are entirely distinct?' Sentio enim simulata mente locuhim. It was not upon the etymolugy of the terms T rested the argument, or even insisted ; it was upon the promis- cuous application of them. The fact is, the etymology of the terms ej)iscopos and presbuteros equally prepon- derates in my favour. 'So that if we deiermine things by the importance of words and thin2;s *^ii:;nifi! d by them, (says Bishop Stillingfleet, Iren. part II* p. 28t5.)tli'e power of ordination was proper to the name presbuteros, (pres- byter) and not episcopos, (bishop) l)ecause the former name did then import that power, l>ut not the latter.' For ^ the truth is, (says Dr. Campbell) the word episcopos was properly the name of office, and presbuteros was a title of respect, borrowed from the Jewish custom, which was indeed analogous to that of other nations of calling not only the members of the Sanhedrim presbu- teroi, elders or senators, but also the members of the city councils.' (Sect. vol. I. p. l^fi.) This explain* the reason of their promiscuous application. And J defy my adversary to pmduce a single passage from the New Tes- tament, in which it can be proved that the term* presluiferos and episcopos [when they relate to the officers of the christian church, refer to different offices. I will go further: I affirm there is the strongest evidence, if uniform usage be sufficient, that they always refer to the office. — The same offi.cial characters, wliom St. Paul calls ^ bishops & deacons/ (PJiil. 1. 1^) are called by Polycarp 154: who wrote to the same church or congregation move then iifty years alterwHrdh, [ch. v.] ♦ i)resh;^ters and deacons.' The same persons, who are called < elders' in Titus I. 5, are designated hy the title of' hishop' in verse 7, [like- wise in Acts \X. 17, 2i8. — And the same persons whom St. Peter calls * elders/ [rh. v.] are directed hy him V. Z — [episcopountes] to execute the office of bishops.' What mattered it, Sir, whether they were bishops or presbyters, since presbyters were authorised to perform episcopal duty ? would elders, in the present day receive such directions from our modern apostles ? Ah ! no Sir, in- stead of being instructed to do the duty of bishops, they would be ordered < to attend to the bishop.' < liut from the beginning it was not so.' Quod ni;\nifesta negas 1 Further, the a|)ostles are not called bishops once in the New Testament, but are called elders in three places. (1 Pet. V. 1 ; 2 John, 1 ; 3 John, 1.) And in all the epis- tles of St Paul, to difl\5rent churches and persons, he neither describes the qualiiUntions of, nor addresses nor mentions, but two orders of church officers, who are some- times called bishops and deaccms, and at other times, presbyters and deacons. If there were three orders, why did h(3 not mention fhe qualification and duties of three ? The apostle, in every instance, speaks of the qualifications of deacons, and most undoubtedly, the duties, either of bishop or presbyter, if they were distinct, were of greater importance. < Hut names and titles in all offices, [to borrow the words of my adversary] civil as well as religious, vary application and meaning in the course of ages ; and as the the woi'd imperator, for instance, which at one time was applied {vj the Romans, to the commander of a single regi- ment, became, in after ages, the exclusive title of the Em- peror ;' so, the word bishop, * which at one time' was uni- foi!Mly synorraous with the word presbyter, and, applied by the apor los and early fathers, to pastors of « single* con^rejrations; ^ became, in after ages, the exclusive title vf diocesan bishops, and at length, < the exclusive title of the < Pope of Rome. f r i'c then aeons.' I Titus , [like- wliom by liim shops.' lops or lerform receive Sir, in- >s, they ut from e in the es. (1 lie epis- ns, he ses nor e some- times, •s, why r three ? Icalions ither of 'greater aw the s, vary d as the me was ;le regi- he Em- \^as uni- applicd ' single* live title i title of f f 155 Mr. Editor, although 1 have long trespassed npnii your indulgence, for wliich 1 return my sinaMe and Imnihle thanks, I must heg the same lihtMty once more, in ex- amining the < a priori' of the * Chuicli of Enghuid iMaii.^ Your very Ohligrd Servt. THE REVIEW ER. Sept. 30th, 1826. TO THE EDITOR OF THE KINGSTON CHRONICLE. ^ My task is to prove that » Church of England dis- cipline and esta!)lislimiMit are in strict conformity with Apostolic authority and practice ;' and my respect for your indulgence, Mv Eii«^hont every community of mankind, no feature will be more prominent than this, that beside the king will stand the Priest — before tiicconj;regation will minister, in priestly array, the meek appointed and admitted Servant of the Lord. I say I |Mesunie that such will then be the order of society — I cannot, tho' I try, divest myself of that idea, as ol^ten as the glorious milleuian age presents itself to my imagination ; and as Homo sum; humani nil a mc alienum puto. I take it for granted, that such must also necessarily be the conviction of every considerate Christian. Nor am I disa|)pointed, when, leaving my own im- pressions, 1 investigate the indices, submitted to me, of the convicti(ms of others. The persuasion within my owa breast, uj)on this subject, is l)ut in harmony — 1 then disco- ver, with the voice of nature — the voice of all mankind. For whether I consult sacred, or profane history — whether I regard the ancient, or the modern world — whether] look to the friends or the foes of existing establishments — all mankind — every religious individual admits and sanctions the principle, that there ought to be a holy priesthood con- nected with the State, which, towards God, might make supplication for the people — and might shed a sanctity over the relations of life, that would be a better preserva- tion of the social welfare, than the strength of enacted laws, or the assiduity of the strictest police. To mention a few examples — in ancient times, the Egyp- tians had a remarkable priesthood, halak, son of Zippor, would have promoted Balaam to riches and great honour. All the notices we have of the tribes of Canaan go to prove the existence among them of similar establishments. In all the revolutions of Israel, the chosen people came In contact with no nation which had not a religions establish- ment. Why shonld I speak of the Persian, Greek, and Roman States, in a matter in whicU their practice was so notorious ? be jit I, ■ iB7 In modern ages, all discoveries of Portuguese, Span- iard, Knglisli, Dutch, or French, p;o to prove the truth of this position that tlicre is no nation without a religious establishment. In the rude and savage nations, it sometimes indeed ap- pears less obvious— hut the establishment (relatively to other id(datroUH nations) is. uniformly, imperfect only in a ratio corresponding with that of the general imperfection of their social state— or in other words, there cease to Uf establishments where there cease to be men. What is very remarkable— in some or all of these na- tions, old estalilishments hfwe been, occasionally, swept away by the violence of change— but what then'? They w ere almost immediately supplanted by others. The lat- ter have diflTered materially from the former in their tenets - in their modes of faith— in their objects of worship— in their bearings on practice— but amid all changes, the principle of an establishment— of a connection between Church and State — has escaped unimpaired. It has been experienced, over and over again, that the idea is in human nature, and cannot be eradicated. It has been de- monstrated a thousand times to the conviction of the most obstinate, that it is founded in human necessities, and ought not to be eradicated, even if it could. It was this voice of nature— it was this necessity of mankind, that in the age of Constantine, throughout the Roman Empire, and in every subsequent a^e, throughout the Knigdoms and States of Christendom, gave birth to establishments of Christianity. There were, confessedly, other motives, and they were strong— but still, there was none more holy— none more strong,"than this general, this uniform conviction and practice of mankind, that the Church ought to be connected with the Htate. Now, if this be the voice of mankind, that * in every polity religion should make a part/ Christianity must Iiave confirmed that voice. For if the religion of Jesus opposed itself, radically, to the genuine voice of the race lo which it was addressed, snch oppositions would be an mviucibie argument against its divine origin. But no such 158 condemnation has been made—nor was Christianity inten- ded to tear up liiiraan society hy tiie roots. On the con- trary ex necessitate rei, it fostered the general principle of an establishment— it only amended the subject-matter to which tiie principle Mas to be applied— The beneiit it did was in supplanting Moses by Christ— and the Hea- then by the (Christian pviesthood. If it had attempted more, it w(m]d have effected less, as I shall shew in another place. So that to do away with t!ie 2;eneral principle of an esta- blishment by any arguments deduced from (^iristian reve- lation, a vast weight of ^e\v Testament evidence must be brought. That evidence, also must be clear— must be direct— must be unexceptionable. And, if there be. a single positive passage in its favor— or if there be an approved analogy it is suflit ient to sustain the principle— and to stamp It With the revealed approbation of God. If unfor- tunately, all the evidence derived from that volume should be against it, I know not how, upon any principle of reason, we are to uphold the system of a divine reve- lation, which overthrows the divinelv-established order of mankind— and arm? the Deity against himself. A CHUJICH-OKENGLAND MAN. POR THE hriNGSTON CHRONICLE. In continuing my defence of the establishment,' I pro- ceed to say, that aUhough no data can be surer than those from which 1 drew the conclusion, stated in my precedin'^ article, that the voice of nature, illustrated in the practice of mankind, enjoins establishments— and that upon that sole ground, it may be certain, that Christianitv, if it be a divine revelaiion, ,.)..(irms the voice— yet it would, possi- bly, give further satisfaction to the argument, if we could tind an instance in which God himself has, decisively, and by revelation, sanctioned the principle. For if any" such can be found, the right and duty (»f nations t:i maintain establishments, may be suppc^sed not only proved, but co':imanded. I do not say, that any wonl/l he hnufv! to copy the detail of such an'estabiishment : but i afTimi that ■.<\i ■i' J .. d59 all would be thereby obligated, on revealed eroufads, ia receive the priociple. Fortunately for the best interests of mankind, such an instance is proddcible. In the theocracy of Israel there was an establishment. In the permitted chan^-e 'which took place in their state, by the creation of an earthly king among them, there was the establisliment continued. Here was an establishment sanctioned by express revela- tion ; and very remarkable it was. For'ofit of the twelve tribes of Israel, one tribe was selected ; that of Levi. The members of that tribe were separated to holy offices § were intermixed with and distributed for priestly purpo- ses, throughout the commonwealth of Israel ; and were appointed so to last during the ages of their existence as a nation in that promised and possessed land. The idea was not original in Moses. It was no dis- covery, then made by revelation from God, but merely that divine conformity, which in a matter of the kind we might expect, with the necessary principles whicli ffovern our race. The Egyptians, in whatever way obtained, had a similar priesthood long before the existence of the Mosaic polity ; as some nations of the East Indies have at the present day, and had not improbably also, prior to the period of that foundation. >Jow,betvyeen the Mosaic and christian dispensations, there was this diflPerence ; that the former was intended for one nation, made up often or twelve distinct communi- ties ; the latter for all the nations of the earth ; the prom- ises of the former had respect ; not absolutelv, but prin- cipally! *" **""'^'' temporal ; those of the latter, not abso- lutely, but principally to things spiritual. And, of course, in the ratio of the difference, must be the direct force of the argument, from the Israelitish Establishment to the Christian. I leave the direct f<»rce just to that decree of strength which each individual's knowledge, guided by his intes- nty, may please to allow it. Whether it proves more, "". , IV --^'^ '^ {-Jo,,,^, ,:, jil present no business of mine : but this, I conceive, it at least establishes, that 160 1^^0(^,111 every common wealth, expects that a public and consecraltMl Priest liood will he set a part to his service by the (oramunity ; or he would not have adopted the insti- tuti(»n, out of tin* practice of the nations of mankind, to rest so mainly upon it the most prominent part of his peculiar polity. Thus far, then, have I advanced in my argumentjin fa- vour of the c^eneral princii)le of a religious establishment in every coiintry ; I have shewn that it is but the natural ofl'^pringof the necessities of mankind ; and that the voice of nature is on its side. 1 have produced an instance of a revelation from God, wherein the principle has been sig- nally upheld. Already my case appears to be made out; for, be it rrcollected, that all confess, that these are, in a mpuner. the |)remises of Christianity ; from which the cerlaintv ol the truth as it is in Jesus il^ws. A CHLKCH OF ENGLAND MAN. Sir, FOR THE KINGSTON CHRONICLE. In taking up the volume of the New Testament, t wave the advantage to my argument in favour of « estal)lish- roents,'fn)m the example of the founder of our religion, who was a Jew of no ordinary scrupulosity in the very matter in hand. I wave al^o the auxiliary advantage de- rived from a consideration of the example of the Apostles ; not wiien alumui, (uily untler the instruction of their Lord, but when they acted as delegates, appointed to lay the foundalions of elirisliiiuity throughout the world, and after they had been filled withttie Htdy (ihost. And I wave these, because it is becoming in a Christian to iiave some feelingfor the dilemma of an opponent. And here, if it be admitted ; notwithstanding some seerainii; authoriiies ; that in the whole New Testament, there is not to be found a single passage which bears di- rectly and fully in av(»ur of my side of the argU'nPG^ I tU\n\r «:„ n } . my adversary acknowledges) 1 think sir, they must have Had an eye at the tree also ; for our saviour positively de Clares ; that a ' good tree cannot bring forth corrupt To this the objector may possibly reply, that althouffb 'the practice of mankind is, in many cases contradictory to the precepts of morality, 'yet, this does notaifect thecene- ra; principle. * CMiristian.ty, (says our present polemic) ii It be a y Him, whose presence the rich and the, poor— the King and his sulyects, stand upon a level, to prove all things, and hold fast that only, which is good ? How will we separate ouracctmntahitily to "iod, from < unshackled freedom of judgment in matters reli- gious' ? and how will we unite this ' unshackled frcedcun of judgment in matters religious* with the right of tiie civil magistrate to estahlish a panicular system of religion a- piong his snhjects ? Hut possibly my genHe adversary may condescend to confine the divine rightof estahlishing religion to christian JVlonarchs or fiovernors, 1 would than ask. Sir, who are christian M(>narchs and Governtus ? [s an implicit faith in the doctrine, & a strict ohedience to I lie precepts, of Christianity necessary tt)constitufe a christian Gi>vernor? If so, England was not governed hy a christian (Governor, hut hy one of the most treacherous and h isest, Monarchs, that ever disgreced the British Throne, when that most powerful of all bulwarks, the Act of Uniformity, was reared to keep and deliver England from ^ heresy and schism.* But, if hy christian Govern ts, we are to undersland those who preside over kingdoms where Christianity goe- rally prevails, I ask, from whence did they receive tlieir authority ? If they have not this right when they are heathens, do the,y become heirs of it when they are con- verted to tilt christian religion ? or when Christianity hecomes generally [irevalent throughout their dominions i!* Kuw and from whom is this autiii»i ity deiigated to them, 1! i 170 and what crctlcntijils have tlicy to show that they aro the hiwlul possessors of it ? * Is it fioiu heaven, or trom Our Lord commaiuls us to render unto Crpsar the things Avhich are Cesar's, and wnto God, the thiiij:;s which arc God's ; hut what things are left to God, when the civil magistrate imposes upon his suhjects, his own creed— his own forms— his own tearhers— his own system of religion ? Christianity, Sir, is a revelation from God to man; to all men. Neither the interpretations of its doctrines or precepts; the resiulation of its institutions; nortlie admin- isl ration of its ordinances, is vested in the hands of any magistrate to model as he may see fit. Christianity recognises in eacli, in every man, a moral agent— a per- sonal accountahility to God ; and therefore excludes any lium.in interference or restriction. Among other numerous < voices' which conic within earshot of my listening adversary, he hears a very dolo- rous speaking ahout the time of Constantine. We arc not at all surprised that he sould hear this « voice of necessity' ahout that peri«»d ; for then it was, that Eccles- iastics conceived a very anient desire for hoth wealth and power— this desire being conceived, brouglit fortii want ;— and as covetousness and ambition are qualities which very much resemble Pharoh's lean kine they could not be satisfied with any thing less than the whole. To ob- tain the whole, the < voice of necessaty' cried < incorporate religion with the state.' It was done: but what was the result ? If the < voice of necessity' was now satisfied, the clamorous ' voice' of discord l)egan to yell in every part of the Roman Empire. The Nicene creed was estabhshed by one Emperor ; & the Arian creed, by another. Mutual war and havoc glutted the appetites of these two brothers these two defenders of what each called, * the orthodox faith.' Constantine's established religion of the East, became heterodox, under Constantius. Valentinian des- troyed the Arians in the West ;— and Valens killed the Nicenians in the East. All this was done to quiet that f >■' i7i tilings ch arc en the i own system [ioi\ to ctrines art mi n- of any itianity -a per- les any within y (lolo- Ve are oice of Kcclcs- ,Uh and t fortli [ualities y could To ob- ►rporate vas the pd, the r part of blished Mutual jiothers rthodox s East, ian des- led the let that loud ' voice of nernssity which has lately awakened mv mo, est adversary from his philosophic slumhnN ^ It H worthy of irnuuk here, that th cessity' which c.lhd upon Constantine to reli-ion with the state, for tl le e * voice of ne- incorporalei «« • ,. - y •"• -"^' preteiicK'd Durnosc nf pe„.u,auns «»ids those believers who are in a state of celibacy, to be yoked with unbelevers ; assigning as a reason, that light has no communication with darkness, nor Christ with Belial. — Hence, if this proves any thing, it proves that the union of church and state is a violation of the divine command. And 1 very much doubt, sir, whether it can be proved that the church of Christ ever consented to this matrimonial union with the state *, (for 1 have always been taught that our Saviour was the Bridegroom of his church) or that the Almighty ever permitted this union. For I believe polygamy is allowed in no part of the New Testament. And hoSv children thus begotten are so very legitimate as to exclude all others, requires a littlci more of a certain gentleman's ' originality and depth of thought'' to explain. That our Saviour and his apostles authorised « establish- ments' when they themselves, and their followers after them, were murdered by the civil power, is a contradic- tion so glaring, that it scarcely needs mentioning to be exposed. The argument with which our prophet was inspired When he heard his Apollo cry from the corrupt parts of corrupted Christendom in the third century— from credul- ous Egypt — crafty Greece— voluptuous Persia — and In- quisitorial Spain, has proved so much that it has proved him altogether out of the Bible, and even beyond the ut- termost boundaries of christian theology. With equal « originality' my opponent has atlempted an elaborate proof that nothing but < ie;i)orance' exalting itselt with the < most unpardonable effrontery,' could in-^ duce any one to contend tliat the kingdom or church of God, is, and should be, separate from the kingdoms of this world j and to excjte solemn reverence to his supc- 174 riot' \\'isdom ainl acquirements, lie lias given us as a speci- men of liis ortliodox divinity, that the • universal practice of mankind' is the law to which the precepts of the 2;ospel must conform— and that if * the whole tide of New Testa- ment teslimonv shcmld be found ai^aiiistit, it would prove ittobenotof divine originar — to display his historical knowledge, has gravely (and of course conscientiously) affirmed that * the authority and practice of the apostles/ prove the divine original of* the church ot England disci- pline and estMblishmeni' — As an example of his profound- ness in biblical philology, he declares that when Saint Paul says it is right for children to obey their parents, he means ' the universal practice of mankind is right — and as an overwhelming exhibition of his inductive philosophy, lie infers that when St. Paul permitted a converted wife still to remain with her unconverted husband, he derlaretl" < a fortiore' that religion should be inrcu'porated with the state. Now, Mr. Kditor, so far from thinking that my learned opponent in any respect resembles * ignorance/ I can scarcely help with gravity T' admire his ' deep' theology. Si ilie conspicerctur occulis, mirabilcs amores excitaret sui. Quando ullum inveniemus parem 1 As I noticed the Jewish con-^titution in my former Remarks on establishments, it would be superfluous to advert to it again at present. I shall therefore conclude the present subject in the words of the learni^l Doctor Campliell, whose sentiments on thU point carry in a very high degree the weight of an argumetum advericandiam : --" Christ's king om is not of this world.' It is not of a secular nature, to be either propagated or defended by the arm of flesh, or to have its laws enforced by human sanctions, or any such temporal punishments as merely hu- man authority can inflict. * Let the law of the land restrain vice and injustice of every kind, as ruinous to the peace and order <>f society^ religion; by attempting to enforce its exercise and dutieSe il 1 ft i|; 1 P ' ^1 if ^■■^^«JB km' &' ■»« Hpr Ui ^)"^' ,*f-'t'- 175 r^^': These, unless they be free-will offerings, are nothing 5 they are ivorse. By such an unnatural alliance and ill- iudged aid, hypocrisy and superstition may, indeed, be •eatly promoted, but genuine piety never fails to suffer.^ |j|-ctures vol. I. p. 41, 73. ) has'*^' ^^*^*'*'? ^ ^^ "ow ready, if advisable, to lay down in tlie"* '^ ".***' ***® **^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ *°^*^- ^ possess iss no ,1 I be indi^^y against either the church of England, or my So wi?'®* ^ ^°^y ^^^^ *" defend ourselves, and our just amid th'*.^® my lieart^s wish and prayer to God, tliat, scelersqt*"^"®^ tliffe re noes cause us to worship in separate viruni,&t* on earth, we maj' all worship in the general encountei**^'**® church of the first-born in heaven. \nd i(®*'P^^' ^^ *''ose tre-iibling anticipations that we thin"- mcP^^S down the grey hairs of the church of England perstiti ^^ *^^ gave,' 1 have only to say, it is my desire Chri?**S *o a ciiurch whose ^ grey hairs will never come jjjj^a in sorrow to the grave' — to a church which ne rer rpj been, and never can be in danger — to a church against nich the gates of hell shall not prevail. Your Obliged Servt* THE JiEVIEWER. October 26th, 182G. wo FOR THE KINGSTON CHRONICLE. No. 6. Mr. Editor,— In a late nun>ber of the Herald, < The Reviewer,' after a length of time, has attempted the arduous task of replying to the argument com pristid in the four articles on Establsh- ments, which appeared in your columns last summer. But, except in tlie satisfaction he has found in pouring out a torrent of vulgar abuse on the writer of them, he had bet- ter have left the subeject untried — there being nothing contained in his rhetorical paper, which in the least affects the solidity of the reasoning assailed. Premising that he has miscalled my argument an a itriori onft. whir.h nrnnprlv it ie nnL T lipo* Innvn tnppmind you, that a principle laid down in my first number was 170 this, tliai * if the roligion of Jesus opposed itself radically to the genuine voire of the nice to which it was addressed, such op|)<»sition won hi be an invincil)le argument against its divine origin/ I confess that, here I thought my seK securely sheltered linder tlje authorityaof St. Paul, vvl in the persuasion that such was the porper iest to be applj^ to a divine revi'lation, and in the iirm faith that the Oi^x of Christ wouhl trinmnh by that test, appealed to thi,j,g > right of judgment in the breasts of men. < But thou',j,(,j, or an angel from heaven, pn^ach any other tr<»sp^^juj|_ y.,u, let him be accur^'d.' The venerable testir^j^jj^^. St. John, I likewise ftinried would support me, 'j^s he similar strain of rational piety writes — ' Beloved ^jj,| ^g not every spirit, but t:y the spirits whether the^,,p|^y God — because many false prophets are goneou| ^^jf^ world.' Nay ! 1 was credulous enough to imaginf^j^pg^^^- mamlaining this principle. 1 was complying w. j|^q express injuction of the founder of our religion, who s ^y his disciples, 'Take heed that you be hot deceived-—^ many shall come in my narhe, saying, I am Christ ; a * the time draweih near : go ye not therefore after them,' — "where the exami'.Kation into the pretensions of the false Christ included necessarily the application of a test, by which in tin'' he^fejif men the pretenlsions of the true Mes- sias were to be^tiaev^d ^ These were reverend authorities, but I was not fiow, had Christianity taught otherwise — had it biA men to give neither public honor nor praise to God — ha^ it declared war with the nation, which included a public preisthood in it, of propitiation by sacrificial blood — it Would then have run counter to as general and ineradicof ble a principle as there is in our nature ; nor is it concei- vable how in that case it could have made its way to sound belief in the human mind. It is because, on the contrary, it has lent its sanction to such principles, that we are left at liberty to examine its pretensions, and see the hand of God in the dispensation. Having enlarged thus far on a principle respecting which my adversary is more Ignorant than he ought to be, let me call your attention, Mr. Editor, particularly to this, that the Reviewer ha« given no answer whatever to the argument in my first paper ; which ran thus :-Establishmenti of religion have always been general — indeed almost universal in the world— and every where indestructible, i. e. one being removed, another, though not unfrequently of different character shortly sprung up — Is this fact ? The fact Mr. Reviewer has not ventured to impugn. — Then what follows. That it is the necess&rj condition of the healthy existence of human society that there be establishments. >j either has he attempted to controvert this inference. But till the fact is disproved — or till the fallacy of the in- ference is demonstra ed, he does not advance one mvA'i in his argument against establishments, though he fill every column of the Herald with his verbiage. He has the merit, however, of having attempted ta answer something in the first paper, and it has been more his misfortune than his fault, that he has not succeeded. But to the second important one, in which I produce »he instance of a divine establishment of religion among the Jews, he has not thought fit to give one word of reply. It remains^ therefore, and 1 think it will rcMRin- in nnini. paired integrity of strength againut hiin. I 180 The third, which it was easier to ridicule than to anj-< wer, he has caricatured — it being, I lience conclude, one of the accomplishments required in a Methodist Preacher, that, in the holy search of truth, whenever such a person encounters a formidable argument, which militates with preconceived ideas, instead of yielding a modest assent^ be is to place himself in the easy chair of the French philosopher, and with a ribald wit, laugh where it would be virtue to adore. Notwithstanding the sneer, however, 1 am old-fashioaed enough to hold still to my argument, till reason and truth wrest it fr* m me ; and i shall, there- fore, continue to belive, that, without laying stress on the example of our Saviour & his Apostles, the silence of the >'cw Testament writers respecting a practice universally prevalent, is sufficient evidence of their approbation of that practice-— after the same form of reasoning by which I perceive my neighbours to conclude, that it is lawful for them to pass to and from the United States until some posi- tive enactment shall forbid them. Nor shall I be easily persuaded that the animadversions of the Apostles against idolatrous corruptions, imply an abolition generally and in principle of establishments till it shall first have been proved, by the skill of my opponent, that the solemn and frequent invective of our Saviour against Sadducees, Pharisees, Scribes, &c. implied an abolition, not of their sins only, but of all those orders of men — ^i. e. of almost every order in the state* To ray last paper, where I produce three texts i'rom Scripture, in confirmation of mv preceding argument, the gentleman has been prodigal in nothing but impertinen- cies. Unfortunately, Dr. Paley, an author quoted with honor by himself, comes in for a full share of the sarcasm bestowed upon the first, for in a note at the end of the ch. < duty of children' in his Moral Philosophy, he will be found to have given the same ludicrous < example of his profoundness in blibical philology,' which, in the humble writer of this provoked the risibility of the ignorant, and therefore facetious, divine. The second text from Timothy a very conclusive one ■«*p^ \' 1 ' \i \ ^ >r T S;iV^ Mi y^ 181 on the matter in hand, has not felt the das;ger of the Rc- viewePj nor been noticed : for it couhl not be laughed a- way any more than it could be answered. The tone of the ill-mannered answer to the third, where, with the spleen of a vanquished struggler, this manly Reviewer, liimself unknown, attempts to be personal against an anonymous antagonist, 1 despise too much further to notice ' — though, as far as there is argument in it, I chall promise a reply, whenever, by fair reasoning, the Reviewer may have beaten me off the ground, to be captured before be arrives at this. The conclusion of my argument then, which stands on the four pillars noticed, remains true — viz : *hat * it is in strict conformity with apostolic authority that in every country there should be an Establishment' — for nothing Las been produced invalidating these heads of argument $' that the universality, and indestructibility of Establish* ments in the world prove; them to be necessary parts of the constitution of human society— that God himself, by adopting the Jewish Establishment from the, already prevalent practice of the nations, has signally sanc- tioned the principle, and hallowed what before was felt necessary — that while the personal example of our Saviour and his Apostles favoured the thing, the writers of the New Testament, by their silence as to u practice then universal, fully permit it — which permission, in such a c*^^ e, according to the customary interpretation of men in matters analogous in common life, has the force of positive institution—and that there are texts every where strewn through the sacred, writings indirectly favouring their existence* In conclusion, Mr. Editor, I shall say thisi, that I have no objection to carry on my argument till it comes to a victorious close — but I am not a match for ' The Reviewer,' in scurrility, and ungenerous, in- sinuation, neither my natural genius incUning me, nor my habit in such practices qualifying me to be a suita- ble opponent to a person so disposed. A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN. i8ie FOR THE UPPER CANADA HERALD. REMARKS ON THE *FIVE PaPEKS' OF < A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN.' Mr. Editor,— it is an essential rule in essays of every description, that the principal terms which are used, should be defined, and that they onajht never to he used in a sense diftVrent from what is at first applied to them witliout giving notice of the change. Thirf rule is important for two reasons; by using the same terms in different senses, we «le- ceive our readers, and lead them to wong or false conclusions. It is the violation of this irnly mathe- matical rule whicli has furnished my adversary with a second essay or a fifth paper on Establislnnents. In his first papers he assured us that * the voice of na- ture,' which he pronounces infallible, is ascertained or ©. ome < particular instance s of illustrious virtue in indi- viduals ; and whaf once called the « neccnsities of maiv kaid,' he now styles the < dogmata of natural reason !' Coepwti melius, quam desiok. - ^ "Oi ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 l.i ■50 i"^" iinisg fulfil S Ui 112.0 .25 1.4 1.6 - 6" Photographic Sciences Corporation 4^ m ^^ <^v 1 iV \\ '^ V 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 145B0 (716) 873-4S03 mmmm 154 opponent, that in both natural and revealed reli£;ion w« are (as the Apostle says) to ' prove all things, and hold fast that uhich is good.' The question here arises, how are we to distinguish between the true and the false, or, to use the words of my antagonist, * why do we believe in Clirist rather than Mahomet F To this I answer tliat I believe the divinity of Christ and his doctrines, to the rejection of the Koran and the false Prophet, because the internal and external evidence in behalf of the former, when examined at the bar of that reason or Might which God has imparted to our minds, and by which we are enabled to judge of truth and falsehood,' preponderates over the evidence adduced in favor of the pretensions of the Arabian Impostor. Hence Sir, our faith is not to be built upon the native bent of the mind, but, upon evidence. Having made these explanatory remarks, I shall enter more particularly into a refutation of my adversary's arguments. He commences by a petitio principii which only needs to be mentioned that it may be exposed. He assitmes what has not been and cannot be proved, viz : that 1 deny the < right of judgment in the breasts of men,' and upon groundless presumption, introduces two or three passages of scripture quite foreign to the point, and to their proper and intended meaning. Having, threfore, shot at a man- of straw created by his own confused brain, instead of his adversary, let him now go and learn what that Scrip- ture meaneth. My opponent next talks about the * genuine voice of nature,' and it is thus that he conceals the weakness and deceitfulness of his argument : He ascertains the * genuine voice of nature by particular instances of illustrious virtue ; but how does he prove the divine origin of establishments? Not by * particular instances,' but by their ' universjil prevalence ;' and at the same time confesses that< violations of the acknowledged' role of right' were universally prevalent. I might there.! fore v6ry properly draw the conclnsion from these silly L .i?^ !V h --^- . 'J»K 189 contradictions, tliat establlshmeuts are violations of the acknowledged rule of right. Upon this part of the subject I will further observe, that the universal prevalence of any notion or conduct, proves neither its divinity nor propriety. was entitled to public houcur and praise, ^h^tf^*^'' ^^on U ' after the inventions of his own heart might graft upon it 1 will here ask him if establishments are no one ot the e^- rors grafted upcm this principle of divine adoration vvhich is taught by God himself? Can i >e produce an nstame '^here'the establishments of the Heathens did not tend o corrupt what is commonly called natural religion ? He has affirmed that all mankind agreed that public worship and praise should be given to the Deity. I ask him to g e inv instances among the numerous establishments of the heathens, where public worship and praise were not giv- eiAo a plurality if Deities. VV hat-^nst.tutes the highes glorv of the writings of Socrates, Plato, &c ? It is tnat * fiey wrote with considerable propriety (.ho' with uncer- Sy) on some of the chief doctrines of Theism, sucha^ the e^^istence of one God the immortality of the soul, &c But sir, was not polytheism the preeminent feature ot all their establishments ? A pure fountain cannot produce corrupt water, and if the * principle of generating estab- lishments' lie of heavenly birth, it will, of course produce corresponding fruits proportionable to its influence. The truth, Mr. Editor, seems this : there is a principle in the human mind which leads men to acknowlec ge and adore one Supreme Being. But this is not mnate-not m"ural-not inherent in the mind ; but it is introduced in- to themind by ' that Light whica Ughteth every man that 188 eometh into the world.' (John 1. 9 ) The Heavens dc- clarc the glory of God, [say« the Psalmist] and the firma- ment shewetli his handy work ; [Ps. XlXj and [says the Apostle] the eternal power and Godhead of Jehovah are clearly seen by the things he has made, [Rom. 1.] It is from such sources that every holy principle originates which leads man to the knowledge and worship cf God. This principle by which men unaided by revelation are taught to adore a Supreme Hejng, is called the law of God written on the heart. Rom. II. 14. 1j5.] Now it may be abused and perverted, and debased by erring or wicked men who wish to accomplish their own political and scliiish purposes. And as in the com mencement of estalishments under Constantine, a flood of corruption was iiiitired forth, which fulfilled in the chris- tian church what Sallust said of the Romans, sublata im- perii aemula, non sensim sed praccipiti cursu, a virtulibus descitum ad vitia transcursum ; so in the Gentile world. The politician and statesman abusing and perverting this unearthly principle, made it subservient to earthly purpo- ses ; and under the modern pretence of * supporting and extending' it, established as many forms of worship, crea- ted as many Gods to worship, as their ignorance and wickedness saw fit to invent. Thus Sir, those ambitions and crafty men [whom I suppose my opponent would call excellent tlieologiansi possessing, like some of their d's- ciples, gloriae silis, deified as many heroes — inspired -s many oracles — and taught as many kinds of doctrine, as ^.est answered their purposes of legislation and conquest. And although they all saw, and many moral philosophers and poets lamented the superstition and wickedness of their day, but who, like many pious divines of the Church of England^ though they bewailed the prevalence of vice, could not see the cause of it, especially as it was covered with gold and guarded by power ; —yet they said with the princess Medea, who was going to murder her child, Video meliora proboque ' Deteriora sequor; and therefore 'chatiged the glory of the incorruptible GoW >** 189 1 nto an image like unto corruptible man, and to birds and four footed beasts, and to creeping things.' This Mr. Editor, is < A Church of England Man*s' divine origin of establishments.— I think, sir, he now begins to say to his beloved heavenly principle of generating establishments^ as the dying Adrian said to his soul, Anlmula, vagula, blandula, Hospes, comesque corporis, Quae nunc abibis in loca Pallidula, rigida, nuduia, Nee, ut soles, dabis jocos. It is somewhat remarkable that my determined adver- , sary, who < expects nought but complete victory,' should pass over the golden age of Constantine in entire silence «^that boasted period Avhen ^rotinus irrupit venae pejoris in aevum Omne nefas; fugere pudor, verumq; fidesq ; In quorum subiere locum fiaudesq; dolique, ;t Iiisidiaeque, et vis, et amor sceletarus habendi. :%I think, ski he ought not to have dismissed it so uncere- moniously. .1 As to the Jewish polity which my learned friend says ^remains in unimpaired force against me,' I observe again tbftt I quite removed its supposed * force' in my communi- cation on establishments, which appeared in the Herald about the middle of August, 1836. *^Atid it is worthy of remark, Mr. Editor, that out of all tm vast resources of learning and talent with which the *f5rmnasiums of science' have furnished my adversaries, no answer has been attempted to tliat article. ^ Natural teason' would lead us to suppose that some of those gen- ttjmen who do not < much heed the ai^uraeuts of the Methodist Reviewer,' would have broken their philoso- p&ic silence before this time. And if establishments are such invaluable blessings to the human race, surely their history for fifteen centuries, can produce some proofs of their happy effects. fe Aud the reason of my not answering my present oppo- wmtsj last summer's papers.' at an earlier period, was, tliat the ahov'i mentioned article and the Review have never been replied to ; nor should I have thought his ' fouf papiMs' worthy of notice had it not been for the compU- mentary rtmaiks of his learned coadjutor. However having learned at length that he was ranked among the magi, 1 thought it was no more than my duty to chastise him gently for his former insolence, and expose the weak- ness of his puny attempt. Ikn to return to the Jewish polity. • In this polity or state (says Dr. Campbell) we find that what concerns religion, forms an essential, or rather a pi'incipal part. Kvery thing in their constitution seems to act in subserviency to this great end, the preservation of the purity of their faith and worship. In this there was a very material difference between them and pagan nations. [Also in modern nations.] In these last the established superstition, [or religion] on whatever popular traditions it may have been originally founded, was modelled by the ruling powers in such a manner, as that it might best answer the purpose of an engine of government. The religion of such nations, therefore, can be considered in no other light, than as one of those political machines which in various ways co-operated for the support of the wJiole. With the Jews, indeed, it was totally different : for in their establishment, the religion was manifestly not the means but the end. God hath been considered in some respect the Chief Magistrate, and the government for that reason has been not unfitly termed a Theocracy .—And when the Kingly sway was established among them by their own solicita- tion, the preservation of their religion, and of their code of laws, contained in the Pentateuch [forthev had no other] effectually (irevented this change from being a subversion of their polity. The King ^ himself was considerect [though in a way somewhat different] as a minister of religion. His office was holy, and he was inaugurated with the like religicus ceremony of unction with which the high priest was separated for the discharge of the duties of his sacred office.— Nevertheless the legislative power was not in the monarch. God was the sole legis- i, ! siSSi ♦'i lM H.J tWV 'tw— !:sr3; '/ 101 ktor *, for, as was before observed, tbey had no other rftermanent bodies of laws than the books of Moses : be- IT^ sides, on every emergency of importance, the Deity was Consulted by Urim and Thummim.— Of any of the Pagan [on modern] nations we may say with justice, that their religion was a political religion ; but of the Jews we should say more properly that their polity was a religious polity.' [Lect. Vol. 1. p. 35--39.] J^ow sir, when my opponent proves that his Majesty is a religious oflBcer, and directed by immediate revelation from Heaven—that the Bible is our civil code of laws— that our civil and religious polity are one— that Religion IS the great end of our civil policy— and that every depart- ment of our present constitution is established by the ira- medate authority of God, he may find an example in the Jewish theocracy, to rest for a short season the sole of his foot while pleading the cause of establishments. My gentle friend makes an appeal to the New Testa- ment. It is quite surprising to hear so zealous an advo- cate for the infallibility of < natural reason' refer to reve- lation as a decisive authority. But quod non est. simulat; dissimnlat que quod est. And at the conclusion of his < fifth paper,' he even manifests a credulity worthy of the most tender commiseration. But his faith is not the faith of evidence, nor of revelation, but in his own wonderful works. He talks about < four pillars' which form an un- shaken foundation for his ecclesiastical Babel. But those * four pillars' prove to be nothing but four bits of « papers' inserted in different numbers of the Chronicle to conceal their weakness and hide their deformity ; and which had already been confuted and consigned to a diseraceful o- blivion. ^ However the two particulars in his former papers to . which he alludes, viz : the indistructibility of Establish- Ments: and St. Paulas remarks oh the duty of servants, shall now receive a moment's attentiou. As to the fii-st, the principlfe of Establishment's having been exploded, it groves too much, and therefore proves notheng at all, I might favour him with a similar instance in the christian 19)^ $ World. No sooner had Papal tyranny been abolished iii England than Protestant tyranny commenced. But it was tyranny still. Mutato-nomine, dc te Fabula Narratur. Unfortunally St. Paul to Timothy VI. i, nnlitates directly against the cause of my antagonist : for first he is quite mistaken in his assumption that St. Paul tolerated shivery. And in the next place, the direction to Timothy clearly shews that it is not the design of Christianity to interfere with the civil govermeht, nor lawful for the civil government to interfere with the institutions of Christian- ity. St. Paul taught children to obey their parents— ser- vants their masters— and subjects to obey the powers that be in the Lord. The rights of conscience and out duty to God, he regarded (even unto death) as sacred. But in his civil capacity he submitted himself and commanded his followers to su!)mitto every ordinance of man for the Lord^s sake, tliat the name and dofctrine of God be not blasphemed. With regard to the learned Dr. Paley, my good friend Qttght to have sagacity to distinguish between the code of nauiral morality, * and the « universal practice of man- kind.'-— And if there be any < honour' in quoting an au- thor with giving him credit for it, my opponent possesses it 'unimpaired.' As it respects our Lord's »* invectives' against the Scribes and Pharisees, I observe, that establishitients stand in the same relation to the religion of Christ as the traditions and vices of the Scribes, &c did to law of Moses :— and thercf(»re the traditions of the Saducees, Scribes and Pharisees, and Establishments ought to be abolished ia order to < purify' all orders of men in society. * The following is the note of Dr. Paley, with whom I hartily agree: — Upon which two phrases (says he ) " this is right" aod " for this is well pleasing unto the Lord," being used by St. Paul in a sense perfect- ly parallel, we may observe, that moral rectitude, and conformity to the IJivine will, were, m his apprehension, the same.' Neither St. Paul nor iJr. Paley say that ' the voice of nature, illustrated in the universal prac- tice of mankind, is righ. / .1 K i -id K ',».'■ •■» 'S i *ti t 193 My learned friend asks for Scripture to prove tiie posi. ttve proinhition of the union of Clirist's Kingdom with the ZZ\ ,^ n'*'^"* ' ''^^^*' *''»" ^o ^»'^ principles contained in the following Scrip uies. John, XVIll. 80, XV II. 14. 1st John, 11 15, 16. James, IV. 4. Gal. I. 10, Sd Cor. Vl! 1*, 1«, and If these are not sufficient, I will favour him With a « paper' professedly on the suhject. Having, Mr. Editor, trespassed at an unexpected length upon your praiseworthy indulgence, I beg leave to sum up my remarks in the words of the excellent Campbell, to ^.TJ T, 'l^^.^'^t^** for several useful quotations : ' I he Christian Church (says he) being founded in the concurrence of its members in the faith of the doctrine and observance of the precepts of Christ their commoii I-ord, and being supported by brotherly affection one to another, as well as ardent zeal for the happiness of the Whole, it was iti no respect calculated to interfere With the rights of princes, or to afford matter of umbrage or jealousy, to the secular powers. But what God makes apright, man always corrupts by his inventions. This l^s the case with the human species itself. This was ilie case of the first religion, call it traditional, or call it natural, which in process of time, did, in different nations of the earth, degenerate into the grossest idolatry and abominations. And as to what has been communicated since by written revelation, this was certainly the case with the preceding or Mosaical institution. And this is »wnd to have been eminently the case with the present or Christian dispensation,'— (Lect. Vol. 1. p. 46.) Jan. lst,18S7. THE REVIEWER. ' . FOR THE KINGSTON CHRONICLE. Mr. Editor, The scholar or the divine— the discerning critic, or the ingenuous man would, I am assured, upon a careful com- parison of my last communication with the lucubrations it ^ drawn forth from the * Methodist Reviewer,' readily wmit that I have now nothing to reply to but the stale repetition of long refuted casuistry and the coarseness of N 10* vulgar raillery. Instead of overthrowing my arguments, }iQi renews positions which have been long ago overturned : instead of refuting my conclusions, he al)stracts a link here and there from the series of my reasoning — striving thus to present a deformity of his own illicit junction of incon- gruona particles, or to manifest a defectiveness by his own fraudulent theft and disguise of those parts which must be uoited to constitute a whole. •• VM»» Fingentur species ; ut ncc pes neccaput uni Keddaturformse. Whilst 1 shall only observe, in defence of my arguments on the subject of the < S|)irH,' that the above remarks are entirely applicable to his mode of replying to them, I shall •—purely to warn him against the indulgence of this kind of fancy— briefiy notice the contradiction he evidences in discountenancing Gamp meetings as a < private individual,' but supporting them as a public preacher. Is it not a Very natural inference from this admission, that his private feeling is opposed to pub^c good ; for he favours us with an elaborate detail of the»k* good fruits ?or, are we to con- clude that privately he condemns them for their < evil' tendency— publicly he supports them that < good may rds of the well-known Ur. Wells, that I cannot refrain from annex- ing them in support of this argument : * Since all men are naturally prone, more or less, to pride and ambition, 'tis not rationally to be supposed that the whole order of Pres- ^yterfi should, at first, so tamely and quietly submit them- selves to the authority of their respective Bishops in the severcvl parts of the then Xtian world, if they know that Jhe said authority was unduly usurped, especially since in those earlier times the prelates were not armed with any civil power to compel or frighten their Presbyters to such an undue submission,' (Letter to a Discentin"- Teacher, p. :9.) ^ ,^ I)r. Pearson accknow ledges (says our Reviewer) that m terms Bishop and Presbyter were interchangeably used byfe Irenaius, so he will that St. Paul the Apostle calls Aimself a Deaqou; Eph. 111. 7.~but that the sam*. Ipr. . -■H-ij « H|jjiMI» Jl lfcM l lii 3tli» ■* hfiEus, admitted a distinction in their offices, is I think, to be collected from these words : < Out of Miletus were assembled Bishops and Presbyters, &c. Lib. I. 28. The little copulative, or, would probably have better suited the purpose of our Reviewer. I am sorry to dismantle my adversary's strong bold in Clemens of Alexandria for the existence of but two orders m the ministry, by these unfortunate words which occur in Lib. vi. of his stromata < There are in the Church the diiferent degrees or progressions (prokopai) of Bishops Presbyters, and Deacons in imitation of the aneelical glory.' With regard to the authority of Ignatius, when our Reviewer refutes the * Vindicia fgnatianap; of the learned Bishop Pearson, and various other defenders of that father, I will resign it altogether Yet, to show that something more was meant by Ignatius (genuine or sup- positions) than the men priority of Episcopal pre-eminence in Asia Minor, I will annex his conclusion to the injunc- tion he gave the Trallians to be subject to the Bishop, to the Presbyters, and to the Deacons—* without these there is no elect church, no congregation of holy men.' Are we not to infer from hence that Ignatius regarded this des- cription of officers as essential to a true church, in all narts of the world ? ' ^ The quotation from St. Clement in my first com- munication 1 do not conceive affected by any thing as yet advanced by our Reviewer. — It wa« hitherto, lT)elieve, very generllay admitted to have the import in which I used it, and it can, I repeat, have no force or meaning unless understood as an analogical reference to similar grades in the Xtian priesthood. The following words of St. Jerome afford a valuable commentatory on that citation : 'What Aaron & his sons & the levites were in the templej the same the Bishops, Presbyters and deacons challenge to themselves in the church. Indeed the analogy be- twixt the Jewish and Christian dispensations is alluded to by our Saviour himself in l^nke xxii. 80. it is expirees and frequent in the writings of StT" jPaul, and in' ihl ■^^vl >{ I n i Ah { 208 « relation of St. Jolm— it is perpetually admitted by the thers — and will ever be regarded by Christians on the ^inciple that < the Jewish & Christian Church are nut so much different establishments; as two editions, (if we may to say) of the same Church of God, the former constituiing, |W jt were, the ground-plan upon which the latter has been l^lt. (Arch. Danbery.) ^- With respect to the venerabla Polycarp. bis silence is aV; least no contradiction. As well might we infer from ^ observation of Eusebius that Polycarp quoted the fTOt Epistle of Peter and not the second, that therefoi^, iiie latter was not acknowledged by him. , Pius, a Bishop of Rome, A. D. 156, addresses Justus df Vienna as Bishop, and prays that the Presbyters and |)eacons may give him due reverence. This testimony bjis the support of Blondel ; and may, therefore, be reason- 9^\y advanced by an advocate for episcopacy. * To the idle pedantry displayed on one of my quotations ftom Tertullian, I will only answer that no rule of syn- ^}L will warrant the rendering of the preposition in which Oi^r Reviewer gives us— that every scholar, word the pas- 1jkge as you may, will coincide in the cornctness of this Interpretation, " The order of Bishops when traced to its original, will rest upon the authority of John" — and that bis own version will suit my purpose and favour my ar- I^DQient as much as the translation 1 myself give. Besides the external evidence afforded by the testimo^ ^l^s of various writers that the * angels of the seven church- ' jfe^ were bishops, 1 will briefly claim his attention to some Vernal testimonies also. It is stated in Acts xix. 10. ^tt»t all they which dwell in Asia heard from 8t. Paul the ^Word of the Lord Jesus—and in Actsxiv. 28, that elders ratot one, but many) were ordained in every church. Now if all Asia Minor had heard the word from St. Paul, that i^, about 60 A. D. — if even then more than one elder or Jpresbyter was ordained in every ciiurch: is it probable that ^irty years after when St. John wrote his Revelation, iflph of these churches had but one pastor?— Is it not 'liiore rational to believe that the < anffels' mAndnnpri hv the latter wtre presidents^ or Bishops with many presby- ters uiwh'r them ? Ahis ! if we must wrest from St. Chry^ostom his long, admitted claim to a < golden utterance' and a pure integrity I will defend my position by the words of So. themselves —that the V presbytery' mentioned 1 Tim. iv. 14. were ' in the ordination of Timothy, merely the coadjutors of St Paul, who affirms 2 Tim. I. 6. that < the gift of God was bestowed upon him by the putting on of his (St, Paufs) hands/ 1 beg also to call his attention to the fact that the Greek preposition meta joined with » presbytery ' denotes concuiTente, whilst dia ivhich is used in the latter text signifies the instrumental cause. I will only add on this head, that Calvin, the famed advocate of Presbyteria- nism—expreswly denies that a college of Presbyters was meant in the first of the above cited texts, and affirms it as his (opinion, grounded upon the last quoted verse, that Paul alone ordained Timothy. (Instit. Iv. 3.) Whenever, in future, our Reviewer is in any doubt as to the cause of my < taciturnity' on his manifold positions, I beg once for all to assure him that it arises from a convic- tion that they need no reply. As our Reviewer seems to have so much respect for the testimony of Dr. Whitoy, I must request his atten- tion to the following passage from the same learned au- thor: 'From thest words, *the things which thou hast heard from me commit thou to faithful men, who shall teach others also,' it may be fairly gathered that a succession of Bishops was to be constituted in every city as persons that were to take care of the Church of God'— a passage which will be allowed to overthrow any authority he may attempt to derive from that celabrated writer for so ridiculous and unscriptural a position as this, Uhe office of an Evangelist " like that of an AposHe was extraordinary and therefore co»ild not be succssive' Was the cause. Sir, of such an appointment, & the design of such an office ever to cease ? , Will not the command to « do the work of an Evangelist,' be applicable to every Xtian minister unto the end of timei^ ,, How are #e to iutbrpret this promise of our Saviour, * io I ^ I'l f '^ tii] .» M , If I IJ f II f '^ I I I ;eo3 ^J!" ^*^^' y"" always even unto (lie end of the worUT ' if Oji Apostles tc whom it was addressed were to have no iP5r(><9sors ^ « I contend, notwithstanding the Protean evasions and jonfased r&asonin- of our lieviewer, which disprove no- UMDg * have already advanced, that the terms Bishop and ^byter, are distinct when we regard the application of tm meaning as collected from the SS. tiiemselves and the co-inciding voice of antiquity. He has not deigned to U n<»t;ce the explanations I had cited from Ambrose and A. And now, Mr Editor, have I waded through the tedious 'Observatious' of the * Methodist Reviewer,^nd cleared ipjweif, I trust, from his course and disingenuous imputa-' ttwis. 1 nave to apologize for the unavoidable leansth of thif communication, and do most sincerely hope it will be the. last trespass I shall make upon your praise-worthv indulgence. Now, Sir, I know my man ; and need not in future much heed his arguments or his railines The foiaier seem entirely to depend on the stale and unprofita- W« sentiments of long answered controversialists inco- herently strung together and exhibiting a monstrous con- junction of private mterpretaion with foreign authoritv- wbilst his propensity to the latter seems not to have been corrected by the sub dio assemblages which, on his own testimony, have effectbd such wonders ^^t God may grant him a 'right judgment in all t«^8,' and a < zeal according to knowledse ' is the sincere prayer of. fe> > " "•"« ' Nov. 14 1826*^^"^^ ""^^^^ CHURCH OF ENGLAND. K^MARKS ON * A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND'S' LAST REPLY TO THE Mr, Editor, ^^^'^^ER. hJ^^ that ruleth his spirit, (says Solomon) is better than iie filat taketh a city.' To this enviable honour my ad- tit Versiaty might have attained, had lie maintained the mode- ration of feeling in his last communication, which, with a few exceptions, characterized his preceding production. Hut, to his misfortune, forgetting the spirit of Christianity renouncing tlie fairness of the logician — and the can- dour of the divine, he commences with an exordium of unjust ahuse and incorrect assertions— proceeds with a < monstrous conjunction' (and for ought I know * sub die assemblage') of foreign authority, (which by the by was not the case with his adversary) and closes with the ex- pended effusions of rancour and bitterness. ' His acrid temper turns, as soon as stirr'd The milk of his good purpose into curd.' I am sorry that justice to truth and myself compels me to give the above characteristic of a production proceed- ing from so able a pen as that of my learned opponeni But to such unjustifiable lengths do even candid and amia- ble men go in advocating the cause of Romish bigotry & high church arrogance. Their Doctrines " are indeed a public scouirge, . Their mildest physic is a farrier's purge," To the railing accusations with which his production a- bounds, 1 shall say nothing any further than they are con- nected with the points in dispute. For * when our ene- mies are much incensed against us (says the Hev. Mr. Bradley) it will generally be found that to reply to their aspersions serves only to increase their violence. And if it were not so, where is the man^ who is sure that he can bridle his tongue when he has suffered it to undertake his defence'.^ " No skill in workmanship, however just, Can be secure against a madman's thrust." I am not in the habit, Mr. Editor, of either opening or closing my communications with the Goliahlike boasts of my prowess and my * training up in the gymnasium of science,' noj* am I in the least degree alarmed by such un- meaning threatenings ; and, armed with the two edged sword of divine truth, I shall attempt to penetrate the bra- i ' , ' ■• SCO armour of my adverSary'a Phiiistiun security, aiiu '?, >,... w iH^mble tho8C vain jiretonsions fo episcopal succession, l^ich are better adapted to the ages of Franciscan supor- ption, than to the enlightened christians of tlio nineteenth century. Before I enter into tlie subject of episcopal succession, Ip^ leave to remark, that my antagonist had no ground MB my observations to assert, that I discountenance Cimp meetings under any circumstances whatever. J •firmed, as a private individual, I am no advocate for C«mp meetings when other religious means supersede ^eir necessity. This plainly implies that the necessity •fCamp meetings may be superseded by other religi- ous means ; and that, under such circumstances, I should sot advocate them on account of my own personal advan- Age, or as a private individual. It also implies that when Ulier religious means do not supersede the necessity of |%inp meetings. 1 shall advocate them both from motives '■m private advantage as well as of public good. Why W ray opponent not answer my arguments on the subject of the Holy spirit's influence or that of Camp raectingi, Iwitead of attempting to conceal his retreat under so con- Imptible a mask as that of personal invective ? " In vain he points his pow'rs against the skies, In vain he closes or averts his eyes, ,, U- Truth will intrude— she bids him yet beware- And shakes the sceptic in the scorner's chair. ' Episcopal succession. The * quaint but astounding argument, where was your Ibce this morning before you washed it ?'* is the first, Willi which my opponent astounds me. By this he would seem to compare the corruptions of the Romish church (wliich he acknowledges infested by < doctrine, discipline,' •1^ practice) with the dust upon a man's face before he WMfaes in the morning. I would ask him if he who is Antichrist before his face is washed in the morning, bc- yas de|)l<.; a;.' V c, rupt in • doctrine, discipline,' and prac- tice. Now dr, do not these comprehend the whole inter- nal polity of the church ? And if the whole be corrupted, *■ •■*r * ' ^'^'' * ^ -' ^-''g?"-''^-f . ru.tM . church and ,|.o p„peH,7„,| v,m il rr"'"« ""^ """"'h cimllenge (|,al lliev nos,Pv,« .1 ''J.""S"">e made a sore my apar; tt .Wl:„n^'"^■"f ^'''"^^ "> to scern novv we I they agree ll»;^""'"''"''''ewith, to an universal conereeation nf^fir^ '■''*'■• ^he chureh is 'es and Prophets, Jesus CI rUn ?'''"'."" "^'''^ Apos- fone.. And ilhoth always ^reo^n'^"''' "*""' ™ h > IS know : pure andio. ml d.^c^l-' "'H!"^''' ^l-ere- f,f"'»'«'ered acc'ardin; Ch'i t 'JT' ""e sacraments «lie fight use of ecclesiastical j-,- ''"'* "•slilution, and coaipare this with the c£ ei of Zr- f *"^ '^y"" «'"! "PS'nnine;, but a«! it J. „1 J^ome, not as it was in ♦ Hp {•"."iMrearfamr: d 'yPrstl!''"'!,';''''' ''.'" ^^ "i- thereof to be so farfi-nmVk ' 'J*" pefceive the state nothing can he more F^r i'ef °^ ""t '""= ^'urch. ti? tnue of Ohirst JcsS fnem e Tef , wr""'' T'' "•'^'' •'»<=- ments, „, ,]«« j^e eccIe.iaS k'l • "^ order the sacra- •J'd fli-st institute them •!!!.„?." ,.''.7' '" "'"^h '"ft as Christ - • ...... t.,cj, turse the Godly with no liBll, book, and candlc^abaolving the reprobate who is unwortiif of m christian society. ^We "Jfy^th'^reforc conclude according to the mle of AugusUne, thatlhebish- «ns of thp chqreh of Eonpe are not the true church. Where no^7 is the Holy Ohoet which they do so stoutly claiui to themselves ? Where is now the Spint of Truth that will not fiufier them to err? If it be possible to be where the true church is not, then is it at Rom? : otherwise it is but a vain brag and oothing else. " Now to leave their doctrine, (continues the Womiiy) j^nd to come t^some other points. What shall we say of the Pope's intolerable pride? The scripture sjuth, that «^od resisteth the proud and givcth grace to the humble. —Now as the lion is known by his claws, so let us know these men [the Popes] by their deeds. What shall we gay thettot^Pope Clement VL^who made the noble king ^andalus to be tied by the neck with a chain, ai»d to he down before hi^ table and gnaw bones like a doj^of Pope Paschal n. who armed the son against the father, ci9U9^ng hip to be taken, and to be ciuelly famished to d^eath contrary to the law both of God and nature ? What shaU we si^y of Pope Boniface the VIII. who came into bis popedom like a fox*, reigned like a lion, and died like ^ dqg— of Pope Bildebrand, most worthy to be called a fire-brawil, who made Henry the Emperor, with Ws wife apd child, stand almost naked in the gate of the city, m the rough winter, without any thing to cat from morning till night, and that for the space of three days? Shall we say that such tyrants had Godjs Holy spirit in th^ni, and lipt rather tlie spirit of the devil ?' Now Mr. Editor, tliis is the character which is given of the church of Rome and her Bishops in my adversary's creed ; and yet h® affirms that these men are tlie legal dis- pensers of the Holy Ghoa^-and applies to those whom jhis creed calls devils in human shape, the words which our Saviour addressed to hi^ appostles : < 93 my Father * 'Does a Ip^gal Euc. \ f 1 >!^i^ r> „<*.. 213 - Koyal prerogative? Not because it is consistent or rea- sonable ; font is contrary both to reason and common sense ;— but because thje infallible state policy required— and tbus only [and not then] can an Episcopal succession be made out : and therefore, reason, scripture, and the Holy spirit himself must not oppose it. When state policy requires it, a woman can ' make, and unmake, ttock,andun rock' a bishop as she pleases-when state policy requires It, a bi.hop is too holy to be touched with the unsanctified fingers of any monarch. When state policy requires it, a Hecker is a true successor of the apos- tles—when state policy requires it, he is an intruder and an impostor. When state policy requires it, a presbyter is a bishop— when state policy, or rather the successionist, requires it, a presbyter is not a bishop. When state poli- CjTequires it, the King is onetime, Defender of the faith m supporting the pope against protestantisra,& at another tune, the King is Defender of the faith for supportina pro- testantism against the pope. When state policy and the foccessionist requires it, the popes and their spiritual pro- v'lSfincy are at one time the only legitimate successors of the Upostles, and, at another time, < the popes and their ad- herents are so far from being the true church, that nothing jan be farther'— and therefore, the only apostolic way of being in the Episcopal succession is, to separate from them, and anathematize them with law, bell, book and fandle ! ! 'I'his is the kind of logic by which our logical BIMJcessionist unites the links of his Episcopal chain, " Vociferated logic kills me quite ^ ,. A noisy man is always in the right." 5 , \But what, iu addition to the above contradictions and a multitude more which I could easily enumerate-^dooms to a worse, than Pyrrhonean scepticism on this point is, that our adversary refuses to give us any proof whatever that there is any such chain in existence. His own dictum, tliat « episcopal succession is defended by all historic testi- iiM»ny aF far as it can be obtained,' is the only evidence which can, on a point as important as the truth of revela- tion;, be elicited from bis * gymnasium of science.' Did tHe flefendeirs of the christiftri revelation, Mr. Editor, con- tent thetn^elve^ with tnerely asserting, that the claims of the Holy Bible to a diviHe original, are defended by all historic testimony as fHr a& it can be obtained 9 Did they not pt>uduce front their gyihnasiUmis of science and talent thos6 ibefragable proofs which either convinced or silen- eta tUeir opposer^. But my opponent on a doctrine with the truth or fklsehbod of which Bible institutions stand or fall, gives lis nothing l)ut his ipse dixit, adorned with * Swift's tale of a Tub.' Ue confidehtly tells us that no positive instances can be ][)roduced that Episcopal subcession is broken. I think sir, he is now left without this plea for his silence ; for positive instances have been produced that Episcopal suc- cession has been broken for ' nine hundred years and odd,' ind, if necessary. X will produce a greater number to ilie i^atme effect. He opened his cotbthuhications with the avowal that fiioiiern Episcopacy is the only scriptural medium through which ecclesiastical orders can be conveyed to others ; and lissnred as thdt it could be defended by < all historic testimony,' both scriptural and ecclesiastical. But did he stop here f No sir — he has favoured voluminously on this subject from 'thetnusty treasures' of both ancient and ibodern < manuscripts.' He avowed the same with respect to episcopal sacces- sion, and said * thus only can a lawful episcopate be de- rived.' But has he entered into a proof of this as he has of Episcopacy ? No sir, he leaves us as ignorant of his probabilities and his historic testimony on this point as a child is of Hebrew. * Now it cannot but seem unequal (to use his own words on another occasion) not to allow tis the same force where there is' not only (as he tells us) the < same evidence, but the same importance. He has laboured for mon Jis to prove the one, why does he not try to prove the other ? Hewever he shall have the credit i^i wii-oinpiiui^ uiiuu lu pruvo liis succession, and men it was his misfortune more than his fault that he succeeded in nothing but self contradiction. He thercfore^considerg ' ^ h )M ( -V,» '* J3i5 t unnecessary to ftiftftipt it ftgatn ; ddd jfi&Mimli Uk irse so clear that it ambuots to an atiotn^ at^d cbiis^- quently needs no prbof. It is indeed sir, as clear * AA ih% Tiber itself.' Bellarmine infornm ks, « thrt ftir abovti idghty years together, th6 chatch for wttnt of a kwfat Mi^e, had no other head than was in heaven.' Wodtd Hr Saviour be the head, tir husband of a ^ foul, filthy M withered harlot ?' My opponent says so, and of course ht canndt err. ' How deformed was the Roman church fikys Baronius, another popish historian) wh3n strlim- iiets, no less powerful than vile, btire the chief sway at Aome, and, at their own pleasure, changed sees and ap- pointed bishops ; and, which is horrible td mention, did liirust into St. Peter's see their own gallants, fals6pdpe^? €}|irist was (ben, it seems, in a very deep steep ; and^ #Bich was worse, when the Ldrd was asleep, there W6t(5 iko disciples to awaken him.' But to eclipse this sunshine of incontrovertible facts, my learned friend -y- " Flings at our heads conviction in the lump. y r And gains remote conclusions at a juai{>.'' The fact is, he has no other way of gaining them. " Perhaps at last, close scrutiny may show. The practice dastardly and meat a^d lo"^." From the various testimony we have now add((icfed^ I think we are fully authorised to concluded—unless W6 are Moo much wedded to the doubting philosophy' to believe ^ Homilies of the church of England— bistorical tktt^ Mly authenticated, and the Holy Bible, — that episcopal ilttccession is interr> pted ; and, therefore presbytei^ran o)r- dhtation is as good as episcopal. Who knows sir, whether one half of the pope;) Were ever ordained at all or not? Who knows that the per- sons that ordained were not impostors ? No ratih living. Who knows that the course of the Spirit ha^ been intei^- rupted, if Episcopacy has not? Everybody. The heretics, from TertuUian Wrote against, asserted, Hke our Episcopal logician, that they Were descended from the Apostles, and that their successidn could < be de- feMtd by tdl historic testlmdny as hv as it cduld be db- ^16 tftitied/ But did tWs satisfy the Latin Father? No Sir -- 1 wtulliaii, with all his foibles, had too much good sense to helieve their empty and deceitful pretensions. Noth- ing less would satisfy him, than the 'origin of their church- es, and an exact catalogue of their bishops from first to las , y\ e ask nothing more of our Episcopal opponents ; and no candid man would ask our belief on any oiher Id HIS t Mr. Editor, 1 might adtl oilier instances of the in( on- sistency of luy adversary on this subject, and other proofs that his preleiismns to Episcopal succession are a ' vain brag and nothing else;' bull am unwilling to develope faciswncu must shock every pious and virtues mimi, any further than is indispensably necessary. 1 shall there- foi^e enter on the other part of the sul.ject,\iz. ordinatioa oSaTicitrctTsWSr """"'"'^ '" «■"-""'""• '""^ Feb. 14th, 18^. THE REVIEWER. OBSERVATIONS OP THE REVIEWER CONTINUED M^ EditorT'°^^ ""^^ ^*^™^" GOVERNMENT. ' Inwlive and r.:proach (says the pious and elonuent Saurin) seldom proceed from the mouth of a ma7wh„ loves truth and defends it. They are the usual w^airo ,s of them who plead a desperate cause ; who feel lliemse ves One would think Mr. Editor, that Saurin in mikinp- the above remarks, had the conduct of Cider " hi"i! church-men immediately in view ; since "he mos form dable weapons with which they assail Dissenters an Z taVduir^""- "^"'^->--> -'^^r;ci^ These are the arms with which the Romish divines ' ii»Willlll m^:,:^.:,.,^^.^ ^ , . --- -y^.- '1 gl7 gpilked tlie Protestants; and the latter, to justify JiBeir protestations and expose the futility (»t Papnl preten- Sions, arrayed themselves with the armour of trulli. &. c{m- sepently, pled the necessity of dissent. They als<» con- ti;&^d that the Roman Ecclesiastics, in order lo establish tb#^lams, must prove that God had « grante«l them in j^wnright and perspicuous terms/ it was in repelling the' arPou;ant assumptions of the Romish Churcii, that the leailied Dr. ii arrow, introduced the words which I quoted in a former communication, which rejertina; the arro- fnt assumptions of Episcopal preeminence, and for which have incurred the stale charge tf < disingenuousness' 'Jif Cum tua praevideas oculis mala lippus inunctis "- Cur in amicorum vitiis tam cernis ocuium Quam aut aquila aut serpens Epidaurius ? But the protesrants did not content themselves with merely pleading the neccessity of reform and that the autliority of the Church of Rome had never heen < granted in *4ownright and perspicuous terms,' they likewise as- sumed the other positions of Dissenters, viz : that Episco- pOs and Preshytere, (to use the words of Arch Bishop Usher, in a letter to Dr. Berhanl) gradu differunt non ordine, and consequently, that in places where Bishops cannot pe had,the ' ordination of Presbyters stands good ;' or, as he expresses himself in a letter to Baxter, ^'ith supposed scripture examples, are basis on which we estabhsh the ni.titution of infant baptism. And allhoueh the early practice of the Church in admitting infants to this holy ordinance, as well as in oliserving Sabbathical ins 1 u ions, corresponds with the scriptures ; yet these instilutions are by no means dependinj; upon Chui-ch his- tory for the support of their claims to apostolical origin T pM. n!""- '''^'^*'''' HHscopacy upon the same foundation. Let him give us proofs or apostolical examples that * epis- lXl!„ V'?'' which is appointed,' and we will he- tvltT ^"^,'7^'^ »^f d» this, it would then be left rkvtm Tl"' "^^^ P^^^^ters have not the same autho- ity >^i h Bisnops. But no^that episcopacy is the order which IS appointed to the exclusion of p.Lbyters from thi power of ordination, is what he „eithei"bas .lor can p^ove therefore his pretensions are a * vain brag and notMng else. ,- 3 My opponent surely cannot mistake the licht in which I hoUl the ancent Fathers. As ,vit„esses of matted of fact 1 give them all the weight which their can.lor-ili". cernment, and piety demand : and therefore consider that the canon of Scripture, establishe.l l.y Dr. Lardn '" ou evidence collected from the writings of the Fathers is supported hy all the external testimony which tie naue Zi^lfT" i'^",?^^ '•«- !'. r' iff I Mi ' ileal interpretations — hlend the doctrines of RevelatioW %itli Iheii* ahsurd Philosophy — and infuse into its moraN i^ the spirit of their ©wn diciplinc ? even the facts, tlio linost notorions facts contained in tiie New Testament are differently represented by them. Ireneus who relates that he had his information from the Elders of Asia, to whom it had l>ecn communicated by John and the other Apostles makes our Lord*^s ministry to continue nearly Hventy years ; Clements Alexandrinus includes it in one. And are these Fathers to be authority for us ? No air, Cedite Romani Hcriptores, Ceditk ; Graii. ' The Scholar or the divine — the di^-cerning critic or the ingenu- ous man' though he had intellectual power by which he tould. Aerias tcutare domos, otiiraoque rotundum Transmigare 'polum, yet never could he (as Chillingworthsays) * find a place to rest the sole of l.is foot but on the rock of the Bible only. I see plainly (says lie) awl with mine own eyes, that there arc Popes agains Popes ; councils against councils ; some Fathers agrinst others ; the Church of one age against the Church of anothor age : traditive in- terpretations of Scripture are pretended, but there are none to be found. In a word there is sufficient certaint^y but of Scripture only, for any considerate man to build upon.' Are the Fathers then, to be authority for us, con- earning doctrines on facts contained in the Bible ? yes— as fiir as they agree with. the Bible. Now sir, suppose there \rere Bishops in the Church as early as the ancient wri- ters whom my adversary quotes, does this prove that there Were Bishops in the days of the apostles ? Does it prove that there was a bishop in this Colony 50 years ago, be- cause there is one here now ? or does it prove that because there is a I)ishop in Canada now the whole population^ Would have been buried beneath the ruins of heresy and schism and been left to the uncovenauted mercies of God, unless his Lordship or some other of the Episcopal tribe? , Jiad traversed the boistrous Atlantic, to visit men (accor- *^ffing to Dr. Strachans history) more savage than the ra- ^ng element, and open to their wretched souls the king- tlom of ticavon byttie magic power of Episcopal baptism anil coninumion ? Hiicli sin must have inevitably been the case, if there be any truth in ray adversary's argument. He refers t(» authors who wrote a century and a btilf after our Saviour, to authors wlio merely mention the existence of three orders, and then infers not only that bishops were ordained by the \postles in an exact succession, but also, that without a liishop there is no congregation of holy men, and consequently those lights of the world-ti.e Harvey^s and Baxters -the Henrys, the Hateses §* Havels--the Watts Dodridges and Wliitefields— * Men whose life, learning, faith and pure intent would have been held m hi-h esteem with Paul,' togetber with the millions of their foUoweis, and the hundreds of thousands of the most de- luded of all the Methodists lights are impostors, hypo- :ritcs, and heathens, and are left to perish forever in th« fatal pools of Erebus ! ! Happy art thou O ! Canada ! that such have risen upon thee to dispel the gloomy shades of thy dissenting dark- less ! happy country that such men have come to thy res- cue Meek and humWo taouthed— and hearts cram'd with arrogancy, spleen and ptide, But Mr. Editor, as little support as the ancient writers ran afford my opponent, be has not even their authority *o justify his claims. He infers i,hat Ireneus could not mean the same persons whom he promiscuously cal ed bishops or presbyters, because St. Paul called himselt a deacon. Of what sir did St. Paul call himself deacon or servant ? Of the church as a church officer ? Ao sir, of the Gospel, being made obedient, or a senant thereto, by the effectual working of divine power ; and in tins rcs- DPct our Saviour is called deacon or Minister of the cir- ^umcision-(Rom. xv. ».) The higher order it is ad- mitted on all sides, includes the inferior, but this does not iold conversely. A bishop may be a Presbyter, but will i;nv adversary admit that a Presbyter is a bishop ? Hojfv- «ver Ireneus speaks of both in nearly the same terms-^js entitkd to obedience from the people— as succeeding A- m \ ^ ^3 postles in the ministi-y of the word— and what at one Sine he attiihutcd to bishops, ho at another, asciibea to frcshytcrs. And the very promiscuous usage and ap- plication of the words Presbyter and bishop which my opponent does not deny, prove tiiatthe distincUon was icarcely notable even in the days of Ireneus. Were the terms bishop and Presbyter ever thus con- tended in succeeding centuries? Was ever Cyprian (Sdled a Presbyter ? or Rogation, bishop ? No sir— the diistinctions were considered too important in their day jever to be blended. Clemens Aluxandrinus confirms what I have already observed that the distinction between presbyters an«l j)ishop8, hegfi^n to obtain about the middle of the second ipentury. My quotation, in a former article, shows aa pearly as language can express it, that there were but Iwo ranks of church officers : and the passage cited by my adversary, when taken in its proper connexion, makes ^directly against him, and affords a presumptive proof, ' jCat there were two orders only. As to Ignatius, I have already shown that whether his ^Writings were interpolated or not, they contain sentiments which contradict the Holy Scriptures and put reason to the blush— and his assertion that without a bishop there is no elect church, no congregation of holy men, is no jnore a ])roof that bishops were known in other churches, %fiX his assertion, that those who would attend to the l^fthop, siiould be eternally saved, proves that obedience tp a bishop was universally believed to be the way to lleaven. My adversary seems to loose his usual sagacity H^^en he advertis to Cleipent of Rome— he cannot conceivo ^ft Clement meant two orders of church offiters, although fftement enumerates but two, and declares them to be the Sllilpient of an ancient prophecy, and Clement does not f^fcr to the Jewish priesthood as a prototype of the Chrisr ^|i, nor will tlie connexions of his words admit of such' • ^ upplication. Clement is enforcing the duty of the Aeople to their pastors, and observes, that as the Israel- %ts^ rendered obedience to the priests, so ought Corinthian i'iL.:«»;«na tn Ko in aiihiprtinn in ilip.ir ministers. 22-t TliP i(te« tliat the bishopi;, piiests ami deacons of the thristian ttiurrh, succeed t«» the offices of high priests av,d levite in tlie Jewish, is as absurd as it is unfouiicfed, 1 's Hcknowledaied by every one, who has ever read the. F, ripfures, thkt the ancient hia;h priest was a type of our J^.vl.ur whnis a high priest fof ever after the order of ^i»'(hizede<— granting then sir, that the Jewish and ( hi'^tian churches are editions of the same.it operates w'tb equal forct. against the cause of my adversary. Our CI eat high priest bavin* offered a sacrifice once for all, a^cenled on hig!>, atid'led captivity captive, has left the two I'ther orders of priests and levites on earth according to Uh nv.c'wfit prediction quoted and applied by saint Cle- ment to the two orderi of ecclesiastical officers. This Vidicnlniis parellel between the Jewish and Christian piiestliood. was never known or thought of, 'till the pride anil ambition began to swell theductors of the church who wished to succeed to the eonduments of the Jewish priests. « This notion (says iVIosheem) was propagated, with in- dustry, some time after the reign of Adrian, when the Becoud destruction of Jerusalem had extinguished, among the-Fews, all hopes of 'teeing their Government restored to its former lustre, and their country arising from its ruins. ft is, indeed, highly probable, that they who first intro- duced this absurd compari'^on of offices so entirely distinct, did it rather thn.ugh ignorance and error, than through artiCce or design. The notion, however^ once introduced its natural effects, & these effects were pernicious. The errors which it gfue rise to, were many; &:oneof its imme- diate consecpiences was. the (>s'ablisbingagrea^er difference between the C'hristi-m pastors and their flock, than the genius of the gospel seems to admit (Ec. Hist, vol. I p. 147.) 'l'*»t* "^^^^ with which my ^antagonist darkens and disgraces St. Jerome's seniiments, to C(mceal the incon- sistency of his remarks on St. Clement is thus dispelled by the masterly hand of bishop Stillingfleet: Jerome spends a 2;reat part of his epistle, to prove that a bishop mA a presbyter are the same. Is it imaginable, that a { M i, I * ,, * 'j ,r .i«- \ S23 Ijaan, who had been proving all along the supetiority of t bishop above a deacon, because of his identity with a ishop in the Apostles time, should, at the same time, say, that a bishop was above a presbyter by the Apostles instiuction, and so directly overthrown all he had been saying before? The plain meaning of Jerome then, is uo •*-ore then this ; as Aaron and his sons, in the order of piesthood, were above the Levites, under the law ; so the lishops and presbyters, in he order of the Evangelical priesthood, are above the deacons, under the gospel. The comparison runs not between Aaronond his sons under the law, and bishops add presbyters under the gospel ; but between Aaron and his sons as one part, and the Levites as the other ; so, under the gospel, bishops and presby- ters make one part of the comparison, and the other part Under the gospel is that of dt^acons.— The opposition is Between the same power of bi^tler which is alike in bishops And presbyters, to that of deacons which stood in competi- ^on with them— the scope and drift of Ireone's epistle, was to chastize one who made deacons superior to presby- ters/' My opponent, by sophistry equally rediculoua And disingenuous, endeavours to wave the force of Poly- carp's positive testimony against his desperate cause, by observing that upon the same principle we would reject •cme cf St. Peter's epistles, because Polycarp refers to one pM not to the other. If I were to quote Goldsmiths his- tory of England and not Hume's, it might be deemed ab- ^rd to infer that there is no such history as Hume's ; but |f i: were enumeYating the histories of England and des- #ibing their respective merits, a silence in that respect #iould lead the reader to infer, rather, that no such history existed,-— or that I was ignorant of it — apply this to the subject in hand. Polycarp was enumerating and discri- bing officers of the Church, (Chap. v. & vi) and prescrib- ing the duty of the people to them ; but through- out the whole there is no mention made of a venerable Wsliop. Now sir, we must suppose that there was no nuh venerable person as a bishop, or if there was, he must '^c been so perfectly silent for the sake of becoming per- p »♦"" 226^ fectly venerable, that Polycarp never had the honour of knowing him — either alternative is fatal to my opponent^ and demonstrates the fatuity of his Protean equivocation, that Polycarp's silence is at least no contradiction. His next authority is Pius/ bishop of Rome, generally suppo: sed to be sixth or seventh from Clement. If the testimo: ny of Pius were as clear as day in favour of three orders of Church officers, it Could afford no support whatever to the doctrine of my adversary ; for, I have already produced in this, but more fully in a former article, the most indubi- lable testimony from Clement who proceeded Pius tes- timony which my opponent has not even questioned or criticised that there w^ere but two orders : and if Pius Who Frote some time afterwards, " may be reasonably appeal- ed to ty an advocate of episcopacy,'' it demonstrates, Mr, Editor, what 1 have alrea# remarked, that a change in Church governtaent actually' ^id take place after the death of the Apostles; and that episcopacy, about the age of which I aw now speaking, began m many of the churches or in other words that the privileges of the presbyters be- gan to be abridged. The testimony of Pius ckarly illus- trates and establishes these remarks. He says, in writing to the bishop of Vienna, < let the presbyters and deacons rev€rnce them not as their superior but as the minister of Christ.' This clearly shows that the respect paid to a bisliop was not founded on any superior spiritual authority that he was supposed to possess, but upon his age and wisdom and diligence < as a minister of Christ'— would puch language have been used in the third century ? or would it be said to a presbyter, now a days, the ' rever- cncefthe bishop not as your superior, but as Christ's min- ister ? Ab! no sir— a presbyter dare not adress a bishop at this enlightened period, without prefacing his sermonem profundem, with— $miph the multitude of his engagements rendered it im- t^jiiifble for him to fulfil ; but had not the power to decide or efir^Dt any thimg without the consent of the Presbyters iiid people. And, though the episcopal office was both iouripus and singularly dangerous, yet its revenues extremely small, since the Church had no certain income, but depended upon the gifts or oblations of the ini^lpade, which were, no doubt, inconsiderable, and #ertr,er palliate nor deny ; but conle^rmv self wUh' the comfortable reflection that by thegrace ^f C.0,1, I hav^ not yet hesitated « to repel the agCssor V hoever might support him,' a:.d vindicate the ?nrceni' whoever mignt assail them ; and though my slender tal ents and the wai.t«fa little more ' trainin-un '!,»,! vented me from doing that justice to IZllZ'.m: It d erve, and wh.ch ma,.y of my brother dissent" ^ could have done, yet [ have ' d„ne fas Youns savsl il.Th . circumstance all,.w'.V and,'wiU thelletton rudflu^ the humble saying of the poet ;— "^«uue witb « 11 1^'""§««' vice cotis, acutura licddere quae feirum valet, exors ipsa secandi.* Your obliged Servt. Feb.2r,.«2r. ™E REVIEWED *Not that I dare to age or strength pretend But oily boast jnyself to be the gospel's friend • To whet them both to act, and, like^he hone Live others edge, though I myself have nonj. ' i SS